IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v222y2026ics0040162525004111.html

Technology–user–environment framework for assessing smart city technology adoption: Insights from Sejong National Pilot Smart City

Author

Listed:
  • Choi, Junho

Abstract

This study aims to develop a comprehensive research model that examines citizens' intentions to adopt smart city technologies in the Sejong National Pilot Smart City (Sejong). A new theoretical framework that incorporates technology, user, and environment (TUE) factors is proposed and validated through a structural equation model using data collected from 192 citizens. Additionally, multi-group analysis (MGA) is conducted, considering citizens' age, gender, and income. The results reveal that user-related factors exert more influence on technology acceptance than technological and environmental factors. Specifically, self-efficacy, relative advantages, trust in the government, perceived usefulness, and customer innovativeness emerge as essential factors affecting the adoption of smart city services. Furthermore, the factors vary by age, gender, and income. This paper is among the first empirical studies to assess citizens' acceptance of smart city technology and their demographic characteristics using the TUE framework. Government managers and service providers can reference these findings when making decisions about offering smart city services to the citizens of Sejong from a comprehensive TUE perspective. Additionally, this study provides insights for tailoring smart city services based on age and gender characteristics, and the results can serve as a reference for planning pilot smart cities with similar characteristics to Sejong.

Suggested Citation

  • Choi, Junho, 2026. "Technology–user–environment framework for assessing smart city technology adoption: Insights from Sejong National Pilot Smart City," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 222(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:222:y:2026:i:c:s0040162525004111
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124380
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162525004111
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124380?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tayseer Alkdour & Mohammed Amin Almaiah & Rima Shishakly & Abdalwali Lutfi & Mahmoud Alrawad, 2023. "Exploring the Success Factors of Smart City Adoption via Structural Equation Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Jin-Ki Eom & Kwang-Sub Lee & Sangpil Ko & Jun Lee, 2022. "Exploring Travel Mode Preference of External Trips for Smart City Transportation Planning: Sejong, Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Cheng, Wenyin & Ouyang, Xin & Yu, Anqi & Shen, Zhiyang & Vardanyan, Michael, 2024. "Subjective perceptions versus objective outcomes: Assessing the impact of smart city pilots on environmental quality in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    4. Gordon W. Cheung & Helena D. Cooper‑Thomas & Rebecca S. Lau & Linda C. Wang, 2024. "Correction to: Reporting reliability, convergent and discriminant validity with structural equation modeling: A review and best-practice recommendations," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 785-787, June.
    5. Roehrich, Gilles, 2004. "Consumer innovativeness: Concepts and measurements," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 57(6), pages 671-677, June.
    6. Gordon W. Cheung & Helena D. Cooper-Thomas & Rebecca S. Lau & Linda C. Wang, 2024. "Reporting reliability, convergent and discriminant validity with structural equation modeling: A review and best-practice recommendations," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 41(2), pages 745-783, June.
    7. Jinghui (Jove) Hou & Laura Arpan & Yijie Wu & Richard Feiock & Eren Ozguven & Reza Arghandeh, 2020. "The Road toward Smart Cities: A Study of Citizens’ Acceptance of Mobile Applications for City Services," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, May.
    8. van den Buuse, Daniel & Kolk, Ans, 2019. "An exploration of smart city approaches by international ICT firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 220-234.
    9. Filipe Mello Rose, 2022. "Activity types, thematic domains, and stakeholder constellations: explaining civil society involvement in Amsterdam’s smart city," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 975-993, June.
    10. Karimikia, Hadi & Bradshaw, Robert & Singh, Harminder & Ojo, Adegboyega & Donnellan, Brian & Guerin, Michael, 2022. "An emergent taxonomy of boundary spanning in the smart city context – The case of smart Dublin," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    11. Yirang Lim & Jurian Edelenbos & Alberto Gianoli, 2023. "Dynamics in the governance of smart cities: insights from South Korean smart cities," International Journal of Urban Sciences, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(S1), pages 183-205, January.
    12. Sha, Kritika & Taeihagh, Araz & De Jong, Martin, 2024. "Governing disruptive technologies for inclusive development in cities: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    13. LEBRUMENT, Norbert & ZUMBO-LEBRUMENT, Cédrine & ROCHETTE, Corinne & ROULET, Thomas J., 2021. "Triggering participation in smart cities: Political efficacy, public administration satisfaction and sense of belonging as drivers of citizens’ intention," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    14. Luca Mora & Roberto Bolici & Mark Deakin, 2017. "The First Two Decades of Smart-City Research: A Bibliometric Analysis," Journal of Urban Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(1), pages 3-27, January.
    15. Veenus Tiwari & Abhishek Mishra & Shitesh Tiwari, 2024. "Role of data safety and perceived privacy for acceptance of IoT-enabled technologies at smart tourism destinations," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(19), pages 3079-3094, October.
    16. Sepasgozar, Samad M.E. & Hawken, Scott & Sargolzaei, Sharifeh & Foroozanfa, Mona, 2019. "Implementing citizen centric technology in developing smart cities: A model for predicting the acceptance of urban technologies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 105-116.
    17. Teng, Qiuling & Bai, Xiaoyu & Apuke, Oberiri Destiny, 2024. "Modelling the factors that affect the intention to adopt emerging digital technologies for a sustainable smart world city," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    18. Yue, Aobo & Mao, Chao & Wang, Zhuoqi & Peng, Wuxue & Zhao, Shuming, 2024. "Finding the pioneers of China's smart cities: From the perspective of construction efficiency and construction performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    19. Ullah, Fahim & Qayyum, Siddra & Thaheem, Muhammad Jamaluddin & Al-Turjman, Fadi & Sepasgozar, Samad M.E., 2021. "Risk management in sustainable smart cities governance: A TOE framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    20. Kabbiri, Ronald & Dora, Manoj & Kumar, Vikas & Elepu, Gabriel & Gellynck, Xavier, 2018. "Mobile phone adoption in agri-food sector: Are farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa connected?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 253-261.
    21. Basarir-Ozel, Birgul & Nasir, V. Aslihan & Turker, Hande B., 2023. "Determinants of smart home adoption and differences across technology readiness segments," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    22. Abdulrahman Habib & Duha Alsmadi & Victor R. Prybutok, 2020. "Factors that determine residents’ acceptance of smart city technologies," Behaviour and Information Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(6), pages 610-623, June.
    23. Gerli, Paolo & Clement, Jessica & Esposito, Giovanni & Mora, Luca & Crutzen, Nathalie, 2022. "The hidden power of emotions: How psychological factors influence skill development in smart technology adoption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    24. Shin, Jungwoo & Park, Yuri & Lee, Daeho, 2018. "Who will be smart home users? An analysis of adoption and diffusion of smart homes," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 246-253.
    25. Chiranjivi Neupane & Santoso Wibowo & Srimannarayana Grandhi & Hepu Deng, 2021. "A Trust-Based Model for the Adoption of Smart City Technologies in Australian Regional Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-18, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mora, Luca & Gerli, Paolo & Ardito, Lorenzo & Messeni Petruzzelli, Antonio, 2023. "Smart city governance from an innovation management perspective: Theoretical framing, review of current practices, and future research agenda," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    2. Teng, Qiuling & Bai, Xiaoyu & Apuke, Oberiri Destiny, 2024. "Modelling the factors that affect the intention to adopt emerging digital technologies for a sustainable smart world city," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Sha, Kritika & Taeihagh, Araz & De Jong, Martin, 2024. "Governing disruptive technologies for inclusive development in cities: A systematic literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    4. Marimuthu, Malliga & D'Souza, Clare & Shukla, Yupal, 2022. "Integrating community value into the adoption framework: A systematic review of conceptual research on participatory smart city applications," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    5. Giovanni Baldi & Antonietta Megaro & Luca Carrubbo, 2022. "Small-Town Citizens’ Technology Acceptance of Smart and Sustainable City Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Ifeanyi Mbukanma & Vikela Liso Sithole & Yiseyon Sunday Hosu, 2025. "Exploring the Factors Enhancing Marketability of Coastal Agricultural Products in Rural South Africa," Economies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-16, May.
    7. Thomas Sifuna Mayende & Abaasi Ibrahim Musenze & Kaziba Abdul Mpaata & Gideon Nkurunziza, 2026. "Unpacking the role of job satisfaction in the psychological capital-work engagement link: evidence from ugandan public universities," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-35, January.
    8. repec:osf:socarx:69cdm_v1 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Karina RADCHENKO, 2024. "Factors influencing the content of Smart City initiatives(particularly based on institutional theories of organization)," Smart Cities and Regional Development (SCRD) Journal, Smart-EDU Hub, Faculty of Public Administration, National University of Political Studies & Public Administration, vol. 8(3), pages 55-64, April.
    10. Yiming Ma, 2025. "Entrepreneurial Education and Market Alignment in Journalism: Impacts on Graduate Career Outcomes and Job Satisfaction," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(4), pages 21582440251, November.
    11. Hasanburak Yucel & Murat Ergün & Gozde Bakioglu, 2025. "Will Conventional Public Transport Users Adopt Autonomous Public Transport? A Model Integrating UTAUT Model and Satisfaction–Loyalty Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-31, October.
    12. Ghasemzadeh, Behnam & Rasoulzadeh Aghdam, Samad & Hartley, Kris & Bababeimorad, Behnaz & Rahnamayiezekavat, Payam, 2026. "Social challenges in smart cities: a scoping review and framework for policy action," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    13. Hilmi Birinci & Ismet Esenyel & Hayford Asare Obeng, 2025. "Sustainable Destination Management in Luxury Tourism: Balancing Economic Development and Environmental Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-35, July.
    14. Li Pan & Qizhen Gu & Xianyue He, 2025. "Transitioning from Traditional Vocabulary Learning Methods to Gamified English Vocabulary Applications: A Study of Chinese EFL Learners Using the Push-Pull-Mooring Model," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(4), pages 21582440251, November.
    15. Alejandra Trillo & David Ortega-Jiménez & Karina Ocampo-Vásquez & Marina R. Ramírez & Tatiana Mansanillas & Francisco D. Bretones, 2025. "Emotional Exhaustion in University Teachers: Contributing Aspects and Mediating Mechanisms," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, July.
    16. Hongchao Hu & Lin Shi & Xinzhou Xie, 2024. "The Benefit-Cost Balance of Chinese Adults’ Social Interaction Behaviors on Social Media: Social Capital, Privacy Concerns and Attachment Anxiety," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(4), pages 21582440241, November.
    17. Ghaemi Asl, Mahdi & Nie, Pu-yan & Charkh, Cyrus, 2024. "Cycles-specific benefits of smart transport for sustainable investing: Global and regional perspectives with different ethical paradigms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    18. Kummitha, Rama Krishna Reddy, 2020. "Why distance matters: The relatedness between technology development and its appropriation in smart cities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    19. Ling, Weijie & Lee, Hyemin & Xu, Huayuan & Pan, Younghwan, 2026. "From complexity to chaos: Understanding their combined impact on customer experience in retail environments," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    20. Javeria Younus Hamidani & Haider Ali, 2025. "Enterprise Architecture for Sustainable SME Resilience: Exploring Change Triggers, Adaptive Capabilities, and Financial Performance in Developing Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-23, July.
    21. Wan Edura Wan Rashid & Norfadzilah Abdul Razak & Shamsul Bahrin Saihani, 2024. "Building the Future: Attitude, Knowledge, Digital Skills, and Adaptability in Student Learning," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3s), pages 5755-5763, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:222:y:2026:i:c:s0040162525004111. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.