Urban Smartness and City Performance: Identifying Brazilian Smart Cities through a Novel Approach

Ana Cristina Fachinelli, Tan Yigitcanlar, Jamile Sabatini-Marques, Tatiana Tucunduva Philippi Cortese (), Debora Sotto and Bianca Libardi
Additional contact information
Ana Cristina Fachinelli: City Living Lab, University of Caxias do Sul, R. Francisco Getúlio Vargas Street, Caxias do Sul 95070-560, Brazil
Tan Yigitcanlar: City 4.0 Lab, School of Architecture and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
Jamile Sabatini-Marques: Institute of Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, Brazil
Tatiana Tucunduva Philippi Cortese: Institute of Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, Brazil
Debora Sotto: Institute of Advanced Studies, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-060, Brazil
Bianca Libardi: City Living Lab, University of Caxias do Sul, R. Francisco Getúlio Vargas Street, Caxias do Sul 95070-560, Brazil

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-24

Abstract: While smart city transformation is a remarkably popular topic among urban policymakers across the globe, there is little evidence on how to evaluate a city’s smartness level accurately. This study aims to bridge this knowledge gap by applying a novel assessment framework to a case study context and generating useful insights. To achieve this aim, the study evaluates the smartness levels of 27 Brazilian state capital cities through the indicators of productivity and innovation, livability and well-being, sustainability and accessibility, governance and planning, and connectivity and innovation. This urban smartness analysis is conducted through a smart city assessment framework that brings up three categories of smart city performance types—i.e., leading, following, and developing. The findings of the analysis revealed that the common characteristics of cities with leading smartness performance are having: (a) a strong innovation ecosystem; (b) Specific legislation for developing entrepreneurship; (c) Training opportunities for skilled labor; and (d) Conditions for knowledge-based development and digital transformation offerings and readiness. The analysis identified the smartest cities in Brazil as follows: Florianópolis, São Paulo, Vitória, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Brasília, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and Cuiabá. This study offers insights from the application of a novel method in the Brazilian context for the local authorities to consider adopting for smart city performance and progress analyses and subsequently making necessary interventions to transform their smart city policy and practice to realize their desired goals.

Keywords: smart city; smart city performance; performance assessment; smart city policy; urban smartness; urban policy; urban transformation; sustainable urban development; knowledge-based development; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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