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Unlocking the Potential of Sustainable Smart Cities: Barriers and Strategies

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  • Ibrahim Mutambik

    (Department of Information Science, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh P.O. Box 11451, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The development of sustainable smart cities (SSCs) is pivotal for contemporary urban expansion, as highlighted by numerous international frameworks and scholarly studies. This study focused on Saudi Arabia to identify and assess the key challenges impeding the evolution of intelligent and sustainable urban environments. By categorizing and hierarchically analyzing these impediments, the research isolates the most significant barriers to SSC advancement. A total of 18 obstacles were identified, organized into four categories, and reviewed using existing scholarly literature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders engaged in executing SSC initiatives, enriching the research from a practical perspective. Additionally, a survey ranked these barriers, revealing that social and economic factors pose the most significant challenges, followed by governance and legal, technology, and environment. The findings of this study offer critical insights for policymakers and governments to mitigate the barriers to SSC development efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • Ibrahim Mutambik, 2024. "Unlocking the Potential of Sustainable Smart Cities: Barriers and Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(12), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:12:p:5061-:d:1414668
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hair, Joe F. & Howard, Matt C. & Nitzl, Christian, 2020. "Assessing measurement model quality in PLS-SEM using confirmatory composite analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 101-110.
    2. Yigitcanlar, Tan & Kamruzzaman, Md., 2018. "Does smart city policy lead to sustainability of cities?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 49-58.
    3. Paolo Cardullo & Rob Kitchin, 2019. "Smart urbanism and smart citizenship: The neoliberal logic of ‘citizen-focused’ smart cities in Europe," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 37(5), pages 813-830, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nattasit Srinurak & Warong Wonglangka & Janjira Sukwai, 2024. "Smart Urban Forest Initiative: Nature-Based Solution and People-Centered Approach for Tree Management in Chiang Mai, Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Elda Cina & Ersin Elbasi & Gremina Elmazi & Zakwan AlArnaout, 2025. "The Role of AI in Predictive Modelling for Sustainable Urban Development: Challenges and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-39, June.
    3. Ibrahim Mutambik, 2025. "Sustainable IoT-Enabled Parking Management: A Multiagent Simulation Framework for Smart Urban Mobility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-24, July.
    4. Denis Alcides Rezende & Luis André Wernecke Fumagalli & Hugh Bartling & Godswill Udoh Okon & Andrés Ruiz Gallego, 2025. "Sustainable City Strategies for Strategic Digital City Project in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Context," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-21, June.

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