1,720,974 research outputs found
A quadruple helix view on smart city: Exploring the effect of internal and external open innovation on public services digitalization
No full textOpen Innovation and the Quadruple Helix framework have emerged as key concepts in the public policy domain, particularly within smart city initiatives. Contemporary cities face growing expectations to unite multiple actors – including citizens, private and public institutions, and firms, to shape urban development and facilitate social, economic, and urban advancement. Despite the increasing focus on smart cities, a significant research gap remains in understanding the integration of various actors and the implementation of the Open Innovation paradigm—both internally and externally—and how this integration impacts the digitalization process. To address this gap, this paper examines the role of internal and external Open Innovation within the Quadruple Helix framework—encompassing governance, knowledge & academia, civil society, and business & industry—in the development and implementation of digital services in smart cities. Using a longitudinal dataset of Italian cities, this research provides new insights into the mechanisms that underpin smart city innovation, offering empirical evidence that highlights the importance of collaborative ecosystems in shaping the cities of the future. Our findings contribute to the literature on smart cities, emphasizing the need for integrated approaches that harness the potential of diverse actors and Open Innovation to achieve sustained urban advancement
The nexus of MICE tourism in smart cities: understanding its effects and complexities with urban mobility and crime
No full textThis study examines the effect of MICE tourism in cities by analysing its relationship with urban mobility practices and crime within current smart city projects. To date, the extant tourism literature on meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) tourism primarily focuses on value co-creation in the tourism industry, overlooking its integration into the urban environment for (i) city (and smart city) projects and (ii) its nexus with social aspects such as crime, which influences and shapes the urban environment. Considering 30 Italian cities over 13 years, this study employs a spatial-panel data approach to disentangle these relationships. The estimated results demonstrate that while urban mobility practices are highly responsive to MICE tourism, they are influenced by imbalances from increased users and visitors, which in turn affects urban security. This dynamic reduces the positive effect of MICE tourism on urban mobility, creating imbalances that public managers and policymakers must address. Practical implications are suggested to harness the potential of MICE tourism in current smart city projects
Digitalization, Online Services, and Entrepreneurial Environment in the Italian Smart Cities’ Transition
No full textCities are facing increased dynamism due to rapid technological development, digitalization, and citizens’ requirements, creating novel opportunities for smart city transformation. If, until a few years ago, the city’s development from a smart perspective was an opportunity, today, it has assumed a predominant character on a social and economic level. This study investigates the evolution of the online service implementation in cities over the years and its impact on the entrepreneurial environment. Using panel data based on 20 Italian cities for 11 years period ranging from 2011 to January 2022, this paper evaluates the online services’ evolution and implementation using cluster analysis to identify two clusters (cities in transition and developed). Moreover, we performed a predictive validity analysis to identify the relationship between the clusters and the entrepreneurial environment. The results show that, at the emergent stage of the digitalization process, the development of the city’s smartness was important to have an advantage over other cities; today, the implementation of smart city services is essential to create a favourable local environment for the development of entrepreneurial opportunities
Exploring the (dis)advantages of smart cities’ inclusive, integrative and social practices in new business creation: the effect of human capital inflow
No full textThe term ‘smart’ has become key in cities’ development policies. The need to adapt to an increasingly global and dynamic context is fundamental to cities’ survival and development trajectories. Nonetheless, how this goal should be met and how the ‘smart’ dimension in cities impacts the social, economic and urban levels are still subject to debate. In the present paper, we focus on the relationship between the ‘smart living’ dimension, which includes integrative, inclusive and social practices, and the promotion of a local entrepreneurial environment by considering the moderating role of intra- and international human capital inflow. Using a GLS method and a panel dataset that includes 30 cities, we demonstrate that the relationship tends to be an inverted U-shaped curve, contributing to the discussion on the impact of smart cities’ social policies on entrepreneurship in urban contexts. Furthermore, we highlight that human capital inflow positively moderates this relationship, showing that intra- and international human capital flows contribute differently in this regard, producing divergent effects. We conclude with implications for academics and policymakers, and practical and theoretical suggestions
International Promotion Patterns in the Smart City Literature: Exploring the Role of Geography in Affecting Local Drivers and Smart Cities’ Outcomes
No full textThe rise of smart cities is a significant trend in urban development. However, only in recent years has the focus on the international promotion of these cities become prominent. Despite ongoing academic discussions on the impact of smart city development on urban environments, the global recognition of smart cities is uncertain due to their multidisciplinary nature. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of articles published in top-tier peer-reviewed journals from 2008 to December 2021, providing a comprehensive analysis of existing literature. Specifically, by focusing on the influence of geographical location on cities’ international promotion strategies, we highlight the local drivers and the outcomes of smart cities’ urban trajectories in different geographical contexts. The paper concludes with a conceptual model aiming to contribute to smart city debates by providing further evidence of the role of geographical location in smart city trajectories
Understanding municipalities and visitors tourism perspectives: An AI-driven analysis of Instagram posts in Italian and French villages
Full text linkIn the digital tourism age, both cities and villages are being shaped by rapid societal and technological transformations that redefine how they interact with visitors. While these transformations are fluid in cities, driven by the necessity to integrate residents and visitors, they have also become central for villages that engage with specific forms of tourism, particularly slow and rural tourism. It requires villages to change communication methods using social media and digital tools to benefit from these new opportunities for interaction. Research on
the interaction between villages and tourists through social media tools is still in its early stages and requires both (i) novel tools and (ii) insights to align visitors’ preferences and behaviours with villages’ communication strategies. To advance this discourse, this research note contributes to the advancement of visual and digital methodologies in tourism research by proposing a replicable framework based on artificial intelligence for visual content analysis, focusing on 33 rural villages in France and Italy to explore the dual communicative perspectives of visitors and municipalities. To do so, we developed and trained an artificial intelligence-based BOT named "AI DetectKeywords" which leverages DALL⋅E Image Generation technology to systematically analyse and categorize photographs. Our results reveal different nuances in the communication between the villages and the visitors, highlighting different perceptions and interactions in a context that can embrace two similar but distinct tourism paths (i.e., slow tourism and rural tourism). It also offers a useful guide for researchers, policymakers, and tourism communication managers to refine their communication strategies
THE COMPETITIVE EDGE OF SMART CITIES: THE IMPACT OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS IN THE SMART CITY COMPETITIVENESS IN THE KNOWLEDGE FLOW AND THE HIGH-TECH COMPANIES’ DEVELOPMENT
No full textRisk or Opportunity? Exploring the Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Decision and the Use of Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns in Less- and Well-Developed Regions in Italy
No full textEntrepreneurial decision-making is a complex area that impacts the creation and development of new ventures and is one of the main subjects of entrepreneurial research. Our study focuses on the impact of regional disparities on the entrepreneurial decision-making process regarding the adoption of alternative funding sources such as crowdfunding. Crowdfunding has recently garnered considerable interest because of its ability to “democratize” access to capital. Using a least-squares method (OLS) and inferential t-test statistics, we analyze how the entrepreneurial decision-making process differs across Italian regions on the adoption of equity crowdfunding campaigns as fundraising tools. Our results show that regional disparities matter in the entrepreneur’s decision-making process, pushing it towards alternative tools such as crowdfunding. Overall, we provide evidence that crowdfunding has gained prominence in Italy in recent years and may be a viable option for entrepreneurs operating in less developed regions to bridge the traditional regional disparity gap
The Nexus Between Female Entrepreneurship and Firms' Green Practices in Smart Cities: Hindered or Empowered by Private vs. Public R&D Investment
No full textInternational audienceDealing with environmental issues is a critical challenge of the current era, demanding action from both public and private actors to ensure sustainable economic growth. In response, “green business practices” have gained significant attention in recent decades. However, the role of female entrepreneurs in driving such practices, particularly in urban environments, remains underexplored. Our study addresses this gap by investigating how female entrepreneurship contributes to the adoption of green practices and the influence of public and private R&D investments, which show a dual and sometimes conflicting nature, as moderators in these processes using a sample of 30 Italian cities from 2011 to 2021. The context of Italy is significant as it is at the center of academic and policy debates surrounding green transformation and sustainable development. Our findings indicate that a high level of female entrepreneurship at the city level positively contributes to firms' green transition. Moreover, public R&D investments by cities strengthen the connection between female entrepreneurship and firms' adoption of green practices. In contrast, private R&D investments tend to weaken this relationship. These outcomes highlight the significant impact of female entrepreneurship on the local business environment, with cities with a higher concentration of women‐led companies more likely to embrace green practices than areas with fewer female entrepreneurs. The results also offer valuable policy insights, suggesting increased support for women‐led businesses could enhance the push toward sustainable business practices
Firm innovation strategies and integration into the global value chains: how does the local business environment matter?
Full text linkThis study aims to unravel how different innovation strategies affect firms’ modes of integration into the global value chains. By applying the self-selection hypothesis and utilizing longitudinal data of firms in Vietnam on 27,664 observations from 2012 to 2018, we find that innovation strategies affect the probability and modes of integration into the global value chains. While firms that prioritize product innovation and research and development are more likely to export, those that focus on process improvement tend to sell more to foreign direct investment buyers. These relationships are influenced by the quality of the local business environment. The improved quality of the local business environment enhances the positive effects of these innovation strategies on firms’ integration into the GVCs. This enhancement effect is particularly important for small- and medium-sized firms. The findings suggest that to support firms in Vietnam to integrate into the GVCs, the quality of the local business environment must be improved and it could be done by enforcing public policies that are complementary to firms’ innovation policies
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