What are the driving factors of innovation in Smart City? – A systematic review of journal publications from 2014 to 2024

Abstract

Smart cities have continuously reinvented themselves, striving for increasingly intelligent goals since their inception. However, current research still falls short of providing a clear understanding of smart cities innovation. In response to this shortfall, this paper offers a systematic review y of the ten years` studies on smart cities innovation. Each article focuses on two aspects: 1) What are the driving forces behind smart city innovation? 2) How do these forces influence smart city innovation? The findings disclose that government, society, environmental awareness, and technology driving innovation in smart cities. Specifically, the government promotes innovation in smart city devices and technologies through policies and governance, society through human capital and social capital, environmental awareness through health and safety needs, and technology through user and enterprise technologies. Overall, this analysis offers a comprehensive and systematic view of how a smart city innovation can be understood theoretically, which will offer a positive impact on developing a sustainable smart city.