Abstract
Creating Smart Cities (SC) is crucial for addressing today's
global economic, social, and environmental issues. Nevertheless, a significant
gap exists in comprehending the nation’s contextual routes to accomplish this,
particularly in developing nations. This research analyzes Smart Cities models.
A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was employed, and it
revealed routes to create Smart Cities and their complex dynamics in developed
and developing countries. The empirical findings of this research provided the
basis of a proposed model that highlights five distinct pathways in developed
nations and three in those still developing. Five contextual typologies for
Smart City creation have been established in developed countries: 1) Global
development and tech integration, 2) Economic growth and human capital
investment, 3) Social development and governance enhancement, 4) Sustainable
mobility and environmental management, and 5) Comprehensive SC vision for
developed countries. In contrast, the SC contextual typologies for developing
nations comprise 1) Comprehensive urban development and social inclusion, 2)
Human capital development with a global view, and 3) Human capital development
with tech integration. These research insights serve as essential orientations
for policymakers and theorists striving to create Smart Cities.
JEL classification numbers: 021, O380.
Keywords: Smart cities, QCA, Typologies, Pathways, Smart city model, Developing countries.