Scaling digital engagement in smart city initiatives: Indicators of citizen readiness in small sized urban communities

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology is crucial for developing functional urban environments in the twenty-first century, yet urban populations exhibit varying levels of readiness to engage in a technology-driven smart city. Using a survey of citizens in small-sized cities in the United States, we find citizen readiness decreases as the level of engagement expectations increases. Regression analysis indicates that income and age are significant positive predictors of lower levels of engagement but are replaced by primary language (English) and education for the highest level of engagement. Willingness to increase digital literacy is the only consistent significant predictor of all levels of engagement readiness. The simple one-size-fits-all approach to citizen engagement in smart city initiatives may need to be replaced by the personalization capabilities of digital technology.