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Competitive urbanism and the limits to smart city innovation: The UK Future Cities initiative

Author

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  • Nick Taylor Buck

    (The Urban Institute, University of Sheffield, UK)

  • Aidan While

    (University of Sheffield, UK)

Abstract

The technological vision of smart urbanism has been promoted as a silver bullet for urban problems and a major market opportunity. The search is on for firms and governments to find effective and transferable demonstrations of advanced urban technology. This paper examines initiatives by the UK national government to facilitate urban technological innovation through a range of strategies, particularly the TSB Future Cities Demonstrator Competition. This case study is used to explore opportunities and tensions in the practical realisation of the smart city imaginary. Tensions are shown to be partly about the conjectural nature of the smart city debate. Attention is also drawn to weakened capacity of urban governments to control their infrastructural destiny and also constraints on the ability of the public and private sectors to innovate. The paper contributes to smart city debates by providing further evidence of the difficulties in substantiating the smart city imaginary.

Suggested Citation

  • Nick Taylor Buck & Aidan While, 2017. "Competitive urbanism and the limits to smart city innovation: The UK Future Cities initiative," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 54(2), pages 501-519, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:54:y:2017:i:2:p:501-519
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098015597162
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Kummitha, Rama Krishna Reddy, 2018. "Entrepreneurial urbanism and technological panacea: Why Smart City planning needs to go beyond corporate visioning?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 330-339.
    3. Weimin Kang & Shuliang Zhao & Wei Song & Tao Zhuang, 2019. "Triple helix in the science and technology innovation centers of China from the perspective of mutual information: a comparative study between Beijing and Shanghai," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 118(3), pages 921-940, March.
    4. Daniel S. Oh, 2019. "Building Inter-Personal Competence in Architecture and Urban Design Students through Smart Cities at a Higher Education Institution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Mora, Luca & Deakin, Mark & Reid, Alasdair, 2019. "Strategic principles for smart city development: A multiple case study analysis of European best practices," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 70-97.
    6. Seunghwan Myeong & Yuseok Jung & Eunuk Lee, 2018. "A Study on Determinant Factors in Smart City Development: An Analytic Hierarchy Process Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-17, July.
    7. Charles Leleux & C. William R. Webster, 2018. "Delivering Smart Governance in a Future City: The Case of Glasgow," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(4), pages 163-174.
    8. Kitchin, Rob & Cardullo, Paolo & Di Feliciantonio, Cesare, 2018. "Citizenship, Justice and the Right to the Smart City," SocArXiv b8aq5, Center for Open Science.

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