Discrepancies in perceptions of smart city initiatives in Saint Petersburg, Russia

Abstract

As a multidimensional topic, smart cities continue to attract interest from practitioners and academics across a variety of disciplines. Whilst much theorizing and conceptualization have made concrete advancements in establishing the research agenda for this topic, case-based research on citizens’ perceptions of smart city initiatives is still scarce. Through examination of surveys and content analysis of plans and documents exploring smart city development in Saint Petersburg, this paper looks at differences between perceptions of authorities and citizens in local government initiatives towards smart city development in the referred city. Results suggest that there seems to be a gap in the way citizens and sponsors – authorities, in particular – understand smart city endeavors. In St. Petersburg, Russia, the gap compromises levels of participation and engagement in smart city initiatives despite high levels of engagement with traditional e-government technologies. Such circumstances may reflect an expectation-results divide that has been described in collaborative e-government literature, but is yet to receive empirical scrutiny in the context of smart city development. The paper ends by critically examining risks of ignoring perceptions from different stakeholders and not monitoring gaps such as the one examined in this practical case.