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Socio-technical Systems for Smart Cities: Bridging Technology and Society. Case Study: Romania’s Urban Landscape and Digital Infrastructure

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Smart cities represent one of the most ambitious urban development initiatives of the 21st century, promising to leverage digital technology to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and quality of life. However, the success of these initiatives depends not merely on technological sophistication but on the complex interplay between technological systems and the social, institutional, and human dimensions they serve. This is where socio-technical systems thinking becomes essential. A socio-technical system is an integrated perspective that recognizes how technology and society co-evolve, shaping each other in a continuous feedback loop. In the context of smart cities, this approach acknowledges that technological infrastructure, human behavior, organizational structures, policies, and cultural values must all work together harmoniously for urban innovations to achieve their intended impact.

Source: Annals of the Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Economy Law and Sociology

DOI: 10.56082/annalsarscieco.2026.3.79

Authors: Ana-Maria GOLITA, Augustin SEMENESCU, Ionut-Cristian SCURTU, Tanase TASENTE, Romeo BOSNEAGU

Institutions: Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București, Ovidius University, Mircea cel Batran Naval Academy, Universitatea „Tomis” din Constanța

Language: English

Topic: Smart Cities and Technologies

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: bronze

OpenAlex ID: W7204232835