IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i18p8484-d1754894.html

From Technology to Social Inclusion: Citizens’ Perceptions and Priorities About Smart Cities in the District of Porto, Portugal

Author

Listed:
  • Inês Guerra Santos

    (Department of Communication Sciences and Technologies of Information, UMAIA—University of Maia, CIAC, Research Center for Arts and Communication, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal)

  • Simone Antoniaci Tuzzo

    (Department of Communication Sciences and Technologies of Information, UMAIA—University of Maia, CIAC, Research Center for Arts and Communication, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal)

  • Fábia Borges

    (Department of Communication Sciences and Technologies of Information, UMAIA—University of Maia, CIAC, Research Center for Arts and Communication, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal)

  • Maria Manuel Sá

    (Department of Business Sciences, UMAIA—University of Maia, 4475-690 Maia, Portugal
    NECE-UBI, Research Centre for Business Sciences, Research Centre, 6200-209 Covilhã, Portugal)

Abstract

As cities strive to become smarter and more sustainable, it becomes crucial to understand how residents perceive and engage with smart city initiatives. This study intends to ascertain citizens’ perceptions and priorities regarding smart city initiatives in the district of Porto (Portugal). To achieve this objective, a quantitative methodology was employed. The population’s understanding of the “smart city” concept and their satisfaction with smart urban services’ availability, were analyzed through an online questionnaire answered by 171 inhabitants of the region. The results reveal that 61.4% of participants identified theirs as a smart city, with significant differences in perception between men and women and different age groups. Services related to environment and sustainability were the most frequently recognized (77.8%), while those related to “Economy and Innovation” received less recognition (53.2%). In a hierarchy of priorities for improvements, participants highlighted “Quality of Life”, “Security and Privacy” and “Environment and Sustainability” as fundamental axes. This study suggests the need for greater alignment between municipal initiatives and citizen expectations, highlighting the importance of citizen participation in the development of strategies for smart cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Inês Guerra Santos & Simone Antoniaci Tuzzo & Fábia Borges & Maria Manuel Sá, 2025. "From Technology to Social Inclusion: Citizens’ Perceptions and Priorities About Smart Cities in the District of Porto, Portugal," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-22, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8484-:d:1754894
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8484/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/18/8484/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Barry Hayes & Dorota Kamrowska-Zaluska & Aleksandar Petrovski & Cristina Jiménez-Pulido, 2021. "State of the Art in Open Platforms for Collaborative Urban Design and Sharing of Resources in Districts and Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-16, April.
    2. Nicholas J. Cull, 2008. "Public Diplomacy: Taxonomies and Histories," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 616(1), pages 31-54, March.
    3. Pierluigi Morano & Francesco Tajani & Maria Rosaria Guarini & Francesco Sica, 2021. "A Systematic Review of the Existing Literature for the Evaluation of Sustainable Urban Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-17, April.
    4. Lourdes Rivero Gutiérrez & María Auxiliadora De Vicente Oliva & Alberto Romero-Ania, 2021. "Managing Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems: An AHP Multicriteria Decision Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, April.
    5. I. Guerra & F. Borges & J. Padrão & J. Tavares & M.H. Padrão, 2017. "Smart Cities, Smart Tourism? The Case Of The City Of Porto," Revista Galega de Economía, University of Santiago de Compostela. Faculty of Economics and Business., vol. 26(2), pages 129-142.
    6. Karlsson, I.C.M. & Mukhtar-Landgren, D. & Smith, G. & Koglin, T. & Kronsell, A. & Lund, E. & Sarasini, S. & Sochor, J., 2020. "Development and implementation of Mobility-as-a-Service – A qualitative study of barriers and enabling factors," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 283-295.
    7. Pritam Ahirrao & Smita Khan, 2021. "Assessing Public Open Spaces: A Case of City Nagpur, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, April.
    8. 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.
    9. Docherty, Iain & Marsden, Greg & Anable, Jillian, 2018. "The governance of smart mobility," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 114-125.
    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. Gleb V. Savin, 2021. "The smart city transport and logistics system: Theory, methodology and practice," Upravlenets, Ural State University of Economics, vol. 12(6), pages 67-86, October.
    2. Ioan RADU & Alexandra Irina PÃDUREAN (BADEA) & Mihai Ludovic DEMETER & Daniel ALEXANDRU, 2019. "Smart City Evolution, From Early Concept To International Standards. Small Vs. Big Cities Study Case," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 13(1), pages 521-534, November.
    3. Smith, Göran & Sørensen, Claus Hedegaard, 2023. "Public-private MaaS: Unchallenged assumptions and issues of conflict in Sweden," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    4. Iria Lopez-Carreiro & Andres Monzon & Elena Lopez, 2023. "MaaS Implications in the Smart City: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-27, July.
    5. Olin, Janne J. & Mladenović, Miloš N., 2025. "The governance of emerging mobility technologies in Finland: A Q-methodology study," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    6. Koglin, Till & Mukhtar-Landgren, Dalia, 2021. "Contested values in bike-sharing mobilities – A case study from Sweden," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    7. Maria I. R. P. R. Rodrigues & Fernando A. F. Ferreira & Neuza C. M. Q. F. Ferreira, 2025. "Constructing smarter and more sustainable urban ecosystems: a dynamic analysis of challenges and initiatives," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 347(1), pages 131-171, April.
    8. Ruhrort, Lisa, 2020. "Reassessing the Role of Shared Mobility Services in a Transport Transition: Can They Contribute the Rise of an Alternative Socio-Technical Regime of Mobility?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 12(19), pages 1-1.
    9. Benjamin Maas, 2022. "Literature Review of Mobility as a Service," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-28, July.
    10. Yi-Ming Guo & Zhen-Ling Huang & Ji Guo & Hua Li & Xing-Rong Guo & Mpeoane Judith Nkeli, 2019. "Bibliometric Analysis on Smart Cities Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-18, June.
    11. Saveria Olga Murielle Boulanger, 2022. "The Roadmap to Smart Cities: A Bibliometric Literature Review on Smart Cities’ Trends before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Lee, Junmin & Kim, Keungoui & Kim, Jiyong & Hwang, Junseok, 2022. "The relationship between shared mobility and regulation in South Korea: A system dynamics approach from the socio-technical transitions perspective," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    13. Francesco Sica & Francesco Tajani & Maria Rosaria Guarini & Rossana Ranieri, 2023. "A Sensitivity Index to Perform the Territorial Sustainability in Uncertain Decision-Making Conditions," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, February.
    14. Steven L. Pike, 2022. "Using Q methodology to augment evaluation of public diplomacy programs," Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(3), pages 240-253, September.
    15. Allison Lassiter & Nicole Leonard, 2022. "A systematic review of municipal smart water for climate adaptation and mitigation," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 49(5), pages 1406-1430, June.
    16. Canitez, Fatih, 2019. "Pathways to sustainable urban mobility in developing megacities: A socio-technical transition perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 319-329.
    17. Yoav Dubinsky, 2023. "The Olympic Games, nation branding, and public diplomacy in a post-pandemic world: Reflections on Tokyo 2020 and beyond," Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 19(3), pages 386-397, September.
    18. Francesco Sica & Francesco Tajani & Pierluigi Morano, 2025. "A Model for Sustainable Development in Territorial Production Systems," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 4511-4528, June.
    19. Salas Gironés, Edgar & van Est, Rinie & Verbong, Geert, 2020. "The role of policy entrepreneurs in defining directions of innovation policy: A case study of automated driving in the Netherlands," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    20. Kervall, Mikael & Pålsson, Henrik & Khan, Jamil, 2026. "Sustainable urban freight transition governance in small and medium-sized cities," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).

    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:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:18:p:8484-:d:1754894. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.