Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Over the last decade, digital city and “Smart City” governance has emerged as a key paradigm in contemporary urban management, transforming the way cities organize and deliver public services. Initially framed as a technological modernization strategy, the Smart City concept has increasingly evolved into a broader governance model integrating digital infrastructures, data platforms, and institutional coordination. This transformation affects core urban sectors such as water management, energy systems, transportation, security, and social infrastructure. In this context, the study aims to analyze Smart City governance not merely as a technological framework but as a normative and institutional model that reshapes urban service provision and public administration. Method: The research employs a conceptual and analytical approach based on urban governance theory and digital governance studies. The study uses qualitative analysis and comparative interpretation of recent academic literature, policy documents, and urban digitalization frameworks. This approach enables the identification of institutional mechanisms through which digital technologies are integrated into urban governance and public service management. The findings suggest that the effectiveness of Smart City governance depends less on the level of technological sophistication and more on the quality of institutional design, transparency, and public accountability mechanisms. While digitalization can significantly improve service efficiency, optimize resource management, and enhance responsiveness in urban administration, it simultaneously generates new challenges related to data sovereignty, digital inequality, platform dependency, and algorithmic governance. Without robust institutional safeguards and democratic oversight, smart city initiatives may risk reinforcing administrative opacity and social inequality. Therefore, sustainable Smart City governance requires a balanced integration of technological innovation, institutional transparency, and socially inclusive urban policy.
Language: English
Subfield: Media Technology
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $204
OpenAlex ID: W7166706470