Acceptance of IoT-based and sustainability-oriented smart city services: A mixed methods study

Abstract

• A smart city cannot be smart without being sustainable. • Social influence and trust are the main acceptance factors for smart city services. • Cost has no significant impact on end users' decision to use smart city services. • Demographics do not make significant difference on acceptance process. Smart cities (SC) have emerged as a hope for urbans that face challenges and sustainability issues due to rapid urbanization. SC services can make the daily routines more efficient, create more public value, and improve the urban sustainability and life quality (QoL). However, before any technology enters the market, the factors making adoption easier for the end-users should be examined. Here, we aim to examine the acceptance of IoT-based and sustainability-oriented SC services. This study proposes a SC services acceptance model (SCSAM), built over the human, technology and institution dimensions of SC. We tested SCSAM by using structural equation modeling via 640 survey-respondents. The quantitative findings were supported by qualitative analysis of 10 semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that personal innovativeness, social influence, quality of service (QoS) and perceived trust are the significant determinants of use intention. Interestingly cost has no significant effect and demographics do not contribute much on the acceptance of smart services. This is the only study in the literature adopting both quantitative and qualitative analysis to examine SC services adoption via an acceptance model based on the SC's multidimensional structure. Our findings would help city administrators and service providers to improve urban sustainability and QoL.