Contextual challenges of smart city implementation in Mashhad, Iran's second‐largest metropolis

Navidreza Alizadeh Bazrafshan and Omid Ali Kharazmi

Development Policy Review, 2022, vol. 40, issue 5

Abstract: Motivation Smart cities can develop cutting‐edge technology and innovative solutions and policies to improve urban life. Like other emerging phenomena, smart cities need to address several contextual challenges. Their implementation in low‐ and lower‐ middle‐income countries (L&LMICs) has characteristics that policy‐makers might consider to improve contextual conditions in their strategies. Purpose The article identifies the interconnected obstacles that hinder the implementation of a smart city in Mashhad, Iran's second‐largest metropolis, and offers a comprehensive framework to address these. Methods and approach The study used a qualitative research methodology. Due to the exploratory nature of the research, 15 semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with experts on the smart city in the municipality, the city council, and Mashhad universities. Grounded theory method (GTM) was deployed to develop the research framework. Findings After analysing the data, eight themes and 29 sub‐themes within three categories were classified, showing that Mashhad faces numerous challenges in the implementation of a smart city, which call for practical policies and measures regarding institutional structure (such as lack of co‐ordination among stakeholders and legal gaps), urban infrastructure (such as cost of implementation and privacy) and human concerns. Policy implications The socio‐cultural, economic, political, and even ecological conditions of cities can influence the success of smart city policies, so each city will face a different set of challenges.

Date: 2022
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