Determining Strategic Priorities for Smart City Development: Case Studies of South Korean and International Smart Cities

Abstract

Increasingly, nations are engaging in smart city development projects. Smart city development aims to build urban areas with a wholesome quality of life with modern infrastructure capabilities (e.g., economic opportunities, cultural richness, and demographic-geographical balance), technological benefits (e.g., healthcare, education, government) and sustainability goals (e.g., clean, green, safe, and secure environments). This requires huge investments of resources and participation of diverse stakeholders, whose goals are often ambiguous and conflicting. It is not unusual that many of these projects are delayed because of a lack of consensus, which further adds unnecessary social costs and a waste of time and efforts. In this sense, determining strategic priorities for smart city development is crucial for achieving a set of integrative purposes in terms of resource allocation and social benefits goals. This paper aims to determine strategic priorities by examining multiple cases of smart city projects in Korea, Europe, and the U.S. A hierarchical strategic framework, which shows the vision, core values and strategic goals, is developed and proposed from the case studies. Lessons and practical implications are discussed for future study.