Smart city technologies: new barriers to investment or a method for solving the economic problems of municipalities?

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to determine the degree of readiness of urban municipal entities of the Russian Federation for the implementation of Smart City technology. The author proposes a methodology for determining the level of preparedness of cities for the introduction of Smart City technologies, selecting those municipal projects (Smart-projects) most relevant to the present level of readiness and identifying the main barriers to their implementation. The study used structural and graphical analysis methods, overall assessment and ratings as well as the group method of data handling (GMDH). The study yielded the following conclusions: The majority of cities comprising administrative centres of the Subjects of the Russian Federation are not ready for the implementation of Smart City technologies. The main problems hindering the implementation of Smart Technologies are the municipalities’ low energy efficiency and high dependence on borrowed capital. The methodology proposed by the author for assessing the readiness of municipalities for the implementation of Smart City technologies will quickly and optimally identify metropolitan areas suitable for the implementation of Smart-technologies. The field of application of the obtained results is sufficiently extensive. These results will be of interest to practitioners, representatives of state and local authorities, as well as for researchers in the fields of urban economics and urban studies. The main direction for future research consists in the provision of an underlying rationale for problem solving through launching Smart-projects in depressed and economically stagnating municipalities.