Slovak Republic on the Way to build smart cities based on KPIs with first Slovak smart city index

Abstract

Although the topic of implementing smart technologies in cities and towns in Slovakia is not a new one, the process as such is only in its beginnings. The implementation of smart solutions provides opportunities to improve the quality of governing within local governments, more effective cooperation between individual departments, as well as possibilities to bring local governments closer to their inhabitants, including personal system of creation, evaluation and realization of smart solutions and innovations. When it comes to Slovak local governments, one could observe that there has been growing interest in the Smart City concept recently. It has been demonstrated by the realization of the first projects, despite the absence of the Smart City system support and the determination of key performance indicators, as when using public funds, it is essential to know whether they have been spent efficiently. The Smart City development needs to be perceived as a means of driving innovative small and medium-sized enterprises with the support of state economy policy as well as the platform for the activization of the scientific research potential of the Slovak Republic. First and only one Slovak Smart City Index gives opportunity to benchmark through given key performance indicators and show strengths or weakness Slovak Smart Cities.