Smart cities and quality of life: a quantitative analysis of citizens' support for smart city development
Information Technology & People
ISSN: 0959-3845
Article publication date: 12 January 2022
Issue publication date: 13 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined a tourism destination, Macao, a fast-progressing smart city under development, vis-à-vis a set of smart city quality of life (SCQOL) domains and verified their effects on citizens' attitudes, perceptions and support for citizen-centric smart city development (SCD).
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a quantitative approach. In particular, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data from Macao citizens. Factor analysis was used to identify SCQOL domains, while multiple linear regression and cluster analysis were used to achieve the research objectives.
Findings
This study identified five SCQOL domains: smart environment, smart people, smart livelihood, smart economy and economic policy, and smart mobility. Each of the domains had a different influence on citizens' attitudes and support for SCD. Three citizen segments (passive, neutral and enthusiastic supporters) were identified.
Practical implications
The five SCQOL domains, their effects on citizens' support for SCD and the three citizen segments identified can help implement the appropriate measures to enhance the target groups' SCD. The findings are also of practical value in evaluating the citizen-centric approaches on smart progress in other contexts.
Originality/value
The concept of smart technology has been widely applied to all aspects of city development. The main goal of SCD is to enhance citizens' quality of life. However, most studies have only explored smart cities and quality of life in isolation. Grounded on citizen centrality, this study contributes to the literature on SCD by proposing a new concept of SCQOL, identifying the domains constituting SCQOL and their influence on citizens' support for SCD.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the editors and the anonymous reviewers for their comments to improve an earlier version of this paper. The authors would also like to thank Dr. Fuad Mehraliyev and Dr. Antony King Fung Wong for their comments in the research design of this paper.
Declaration of conflicting interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Funding: This work was supported by Macao Institute for Tourism Studies Research Fund (grant number 228/DP/2020).
Citation
Chen, Z. and Chan, I.C.C. (2023), "Smart cities and quality of life: a quantitative analysis of citizens' support for smart city development", Information Technology & People, Vol. 36 No. 1, pp. 263-285. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-07-2021-0577
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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