Smart cities as a factor of economic growth: system analysis and development prospects

Abstract

The smart city concept in the context of the Russian reality has been studied, and the key issues and prospects of its implementation have been revealed. The main obstacle to building smart cities in Russia is the lack of clear political will both at the federal and regional levels. Despite the existence of the Digital Economy state program, including smart cities, its performance indicators do not reflect the level of digital readiness of settlements. It has been proposed to develop new indicators for objective assessment of cities in the country. Within the framework of state and municipal management it is necessary to study the interaction models in smart cities, such as vertical, horizontal, and hybrid. The indicators system for assessing such settlements has been described, which considers not only technological aspects, but also social and economic factors that play a key role in creating a comfortable urban environment. The coefficients definition for each category of indicators allows to adapt the system to the specifics of particular cities. Transparency and accessibility of monitoring results contribute to the residents’ involvement in the process of city management. Implementation of such a system of indicators will improve the quality of citizens’ life, ensure sustainable development of urban infrastructure, and make smart city a reality, capable of responding to the challenges of time.