sustainability

Article
Unveiling the Smart City Concept: Perspectives from an
Emerging Market via the Social Representation Theory
Flavia Michelotto and Luiz Antonio Joia *

Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration, Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV EBAPE),
Rio de Janeiro 22231-010, Brazil
* Correspondence: [email protected]

Abstract: This study aims to investigate the perception of citizens about the smart city construct since,
so far, there is no consensus on what a “smart city” really is. As a result of this, the term has been
used in different circumstances and with different names and is associated with several conceptual
variants. Thus, the novelty of this work is based on capturing this perception and comparing it with
the definition of the smart city found in the scientific literature in order to identify similarities and
cognitive gaps and refine the smart city concept—a still open knowledge gap. For this purpose, the
Social Representation Theory was used, operationalized by the evocation of words technique. The
study was carried out in Brazil, herein considered as a proxy for other emerging markets with regard
to smart cities. The results indicated a highly technocentric view on the part of citizens about the
smart city concept. In addition, citizens did not realize some dimensions of smart cities that are often
addressed in the scientific literature, such as People, Citizen Participation and Culture. Finally, it was
noticed that most of the existing scientific literature on the definition of the smart city comes from
developed countries rather than the Global South—curiously, where the largest urban agglomerations
with the biggest problems to be faced are located. Thus, research on the concept of smart cities in
developing countries is necessary, which is one of the motivations for the development of this work.

Keywords: smart city; information and communication technology; mobility; sustainability; social
representation theory

Citation: Michelotto, F.; Joia, L.A.

Unveiling the Smart City Concept:
Perspectives from an Emerging
1. Introduction
Market via the Social Representation
Theory. Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155. Since the emergence of the first cities centuries ago, the urban population has substan-
https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108155 tially increased, and cities have become more intricate and significant [1,2]. The United
Nations [3] expects that 60% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2030, and this
Academic Editors: Shen Wei,
high-speed growth tends to overload the urbanization process [4]. Moreover, the man-
Shuqin Chen and Yaran Wang
agement of cities must become increasingly tricky, with increasing challenges associated
Received: 28 February 2023 with sustainable development issues. Thus, cities around the world need smarter ways of
Revised: 29 April 2023 development to overcome these new hurdles [5–7]. In addition, the smart city concept en-
Accepted: 15 May 2023 compasses several areas, such as technology, society, public policies and politics, inasmuch
Published: 17 May 2023 as there is an effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and reconcile them with
the rapid growth of cities [8]. However, so far, there is no consensus about the smart city
construct [1], a research gap that remains open [9,10]. Indeed, despite the wide usage of the
term “smart city” and various efforts to define it, there is still a significant lack of consensus
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
regarding its meaning, encompassing qualities, characteristics, or components [11,12]. In
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
line with this, literature reviews have revealed that scholars from different knowledge areas
This article is an open access article
have proposed different definitions for this concept and even in the social sciences, there
distributed under the terms and
is no consensus on the subject [13]. Consequently, utilizing the concept of smart city in
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
practice, particularly in the formation and implementation of city development strategies,
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
may result in an ineffective allocation of limited resources and misguided actions. Such
4.0/).
policy errors can have significant long-term consequences [9]. In sum, in addition to the

Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108155 https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 2 of 16

lack of a monosemic definition for a smart city, questions also arise about what makes a city
be considered smart, as well as its main characteristics, as argued by scholars who have
investigated the evolution of the concept of the smart city over time [14,15].
Suddaby [16] argues that the clarity of a construct is fundamental in the advancement
of academic research, which is achieved by meeting four requirements: the definition of a
concept through the use of language; the circumstantial conditions wherein the construct is
applicable (or not); the semantic relationships of the construct with other constructs; and the
consistency of the logic of the construct concerning the theoretical argumentation wherein
it is inserted. As Social Representation Theory (SRT) has become an efficient approach for
understanding constructs in the field of Information Systems [10], this article uses SRT
to identify the social representation of smart cities according to their ordinary citizens,
in order to compare it with the existing literature on this subject. The objective of this
work is, therefore, to identify similarities and cognitive gaps to clarify the definition of the
smart city construct [11], in order to propose a consolidated definition for the same based
on the perception of ordinary citizens of emerging markets, which is the uniqueness that
this study aims to achieve when compared to other works that have already investigated
the concept of the smart city. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to address the
following research question: what is the social representation of a smart city according to
Brazilians citizens?
The selection of Brazil is justified by the fact that its context can serve as a proxy
for other emerging markets when it comes to smart cities. This assertion is backed by
two pieces of evidence. Firstly, this country faces significant obstacles in implementing
smart cities due to inadequate connectivity infrastructure and a notable digital divide [17].
Secondly, similar to many other emerging markets, Brazil has a limited number of smart
city initiatives [18].
Apart from this introduction, this article is divided into five sections. The next
section introduces the theoretical framework, followed by the methodological proce-
dures adopted and the results found. The results are then discussed and finally the
conclusions—including the theoretical and practical implications accrued from this re-
search, as well as its limitations—are set forth.

2. Theoretical Background
2.1. The Foundations of Smart Cities
The exponential rise of urban populations has resulted in many operational challenges,
including resource depletion, compromised public health, pollution, inadequate waste
management and urban decay [19]. Cities across the world have attempted to address
these obstacles by extensively incorporating technology to enhance the quality of life for
their inhabitants. Therefore, the notion of a smart city has emerged in this context of
rapid urbanization [6].
Until now, there is no agreement on the exact definition of a “smart city” [20], resulting
in multiple conceptual variations of this expression due to its use in different circumstances
and under different designations [1,21,22]. However, while there are several definitions of
a smart city, certain commonalities exist across most of them, including (1) implementation
of ICT to facilitate and manage operations; (2) incorporation of technological infrastructure;
(3) provision of superior services to citizens; (4) unification of systems and infrastructure to
foster economic, social, cultural and environmental progress; and (5) a forward-looking
perspective towards a better future [19]. While most of the initial definitions of smart cities
focus on the introduction and use of ICT [23], more recent research has included the needs
of citizens, as well as the quality of life in the city [20].

2.2. Theoretical References on the Smart City Concept

For this study, through a literature review, 21 articles were found about the concept of
the smart city. These papers were then analyzed thematically [24,25], whereby 16 distinct
categories associated with the selected papers were identified. Table 1 indicates the relevant
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 3 of 16

categories referenced in each of these publications. Next, the categories found in the
publications were totaled, as shown in the last line of the table. In Table 1, one can
observe the myriad of categories associated with the concept of the smart city in the
scientific literature, as well as the various combinations between them, as proposed by
the referenced authors. This multiplicity of concepts about smart cities is corroborated in
a scientometric review of the academic literature produced from 1990 to 2019 on smart
cities [14]. One can also see the relevance of technology—for academia—for the definition
and conceptualization of smart cities—a fact that has been perceived since the emergence
of research on this topic. Subsequently, as seen in Table 1, sustainability, over time, begins
to become an important dimension in the conceptualization of smart cities.
Table 1. Main categories of smart cities retrieved from the literature review.

Main Categories—Smart Cities

Theoretical Tech Sustain Inno Economy/ Infrast Quality Mobility/ Plan Inte Effi Conne
Year Services People Society Culture Safety
References nology ability vation Business ructure of Life Transport ning gration ciency ctivity
[26] 2007 o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[27] 2008 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[28] 2011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[29] 2011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[1] 2011 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[30] 2012 o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[31] 2012 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[32] 2013 o o o o o o o o o o o o
[33] 2013 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[4] 2014 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[6] 2014 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[34] 2015 o o o o o o o o o
[35] 2015 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[19] 2015 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[36] 2015 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[37] 2016 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[8] 2017 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[38] 2018 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[39] 2018 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[40] 2018 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
[18] 2019 o o o o o o o o o o o o
21 21 21 20 20 20 20 20 20 19 19 19 19 18 18 16 16

2.3. Social Representation Theory

Humans try to understand the complex environment they live in to make it more
predictable and controllable. Social representations help in this, which are defined as
“systems of opinions, knowledge, and beliefs specific to a culture, social category or group,
concerning objects in the social environment” [41]. Indeed, social representations consider
individuals’ perceptions of a given social phenomenon, making it possible to understand
how social identity is formed [42]. Serge Moscovici developed the Social Representation
Theory (SRT) in the 1960s to comprehend the advancement of common sense within diverse
human communities. Based on that, SRT became one of the leading approaches to studying
social groups [43,44].
For Jodelet [45], social representations are images that assemble multiple meanings,
allowing people to interpret what happens around them. The emergence of a social
representation is usually concomitant with a new circumstance, with an extraordinary
phenomenon [46]. Several studies have used SRT to improve the understanding of a
particular concept, seeking the most precise definition of a construct, for example, [47–50]
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 4 of 16

to provide just a few. Thus, in this work, SRT is used to understand how society perceives
the smart city concept.

2.4. Central Nucleus Theory

Based on Moscovici’s theory and Asch’s [51] work on social perception, Abric pro-
posed the Central Nucleus Theory [52,53], which contributed to the understanding of some
socio-cognitive factors mandatory for the organization of social representations [41]. A
social representation is composed of two primary subsystems: the central nucleus and the
peripheral system. The central nucleus is a crucial element that determines the organization
and significance of the representation. At the same time, the peripheral system captures the
different perceptions of the society about a concept, thereby supporting the heterogeneity
of the group and accommodating possible contradictions brought by the immediate con-
text, being liable to revision and negotiation [53–56]. Finally, the central nucleus and the
peripheral system can be represented by the Vergès’ quadrants, a graphical representation
developed for a quick and easy visualization of the social representation [53,57].

3. Methodological Procedures
This research relies on a qualitative-quantitative methodological approach, with
data collected via the evocation of words technique and analyzed by means of the four-
quadrant technique (Vergès’ quadrants), as well as implicative statistics and content
analysis [44,49,58]. The sample of respondents was obtained through social media contacts,
including participants who were aware of the term “smart city”. The data collection oc-
curred from April to June 2020. Approximately 1200 questionnaires were distributed via
email and direct messages through social media platforms. Two experts specializing in
social representation and the evocation of words technique also endorsed the questionnaire.
The evocation of words technique—based on gathering words that individuals articulate
when they are orally or in writing presented with a particularly suggestive expression or
word—is one of the main techniques to define a social representation [44,59]. The method
consists of requesting the participants to mention the first five words or phrases that imme-
diately come to their minds [56] when they are exposed to a particular expression—in this
case, “smart city.” Once the words had been evoked, additional questions were introduced
to carry out the implicative statistics and content analysis, which aim to confirm the social
representation obtained, as well as to understand the reasons why the five specific words
were evoked [49].
The words evoked were tabulated in Excel, where semantic analysis and word cor-
rections were performed to create the categories which emerged from the survey. Then,
the categories were analyzed manually by the authors with the help of the EVOC software
2005 [60], allocating words into categories or clusters associated with the social represen-
tation under study, and positioning them in the four quadrants scheme developed by
Pierre Vergès [58]. Vergès’ four-quadrant technique cross-checks the evocation frequency
of the categories with the order of evocation of the same, combining both quantitative and
qualitative analyses [49,61,62]. According to Vergès’ four-quadrant technique, to define
the central nucleus of a social representation, the following steps must be performed:
(i) organization of the words evoked into categories or clusters; (ii) calculation of the fre-
quency of evocation; (iii) calculation of the average order of evocation; (iv) deployment of
the reference points (averages) such that the categories are placed correctly within Vergès’
four quadrants—namely, calculation of the average frequency of evocation (AFE) and the
mean figure for the average order of evocation (AOE); and (v) individual comparison of
the values referring to the categories with the AFE and the mean figure for the AOE, thus
obtaining Vergès’ framework [48,49].
The average frequency of evocation (AFE) is calculated by the median of the total
number of evocations per evoked word, while the average order of evocation (AOE) is
obtained from the average order in which the words of a given category were evoked,
namely first, second, third, fourth or fifth place. Then, for the categories included from
 the values referring to the categories with the AFE and the mean figure for the AOE, thus
obtaining Vergès’ framework [48,49].
The average frequency of evocation (AFE) is calculated by the median of the total
number of evocations per evoked word, while the average order of evocation (AOE) is
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 obtained from the average order in which the words of a given category were 5 of 16evoked,
namely first, second, third, fourth or fifth place. Then, for the categories included from the
cutoff point of the AFE, the mean value of the AOE of these categories is calculated. This
calculation makes
the cutoff point it possible
of the AFE, thetomean
identify
valuethe
of cutoff
the AOEpoint for the
of these distribution
categories of the catego-
is calculated.
Thiswithin
ries calculation makes
Vergès’ it possible
quadrants to identify
[55,57]. Figurethe1 cutoff pointhow
describes for the
thedistribution
distribution ofofthethe AFE
categories within Vergès’ quadrants [55,57]. Figure 1 describes how the distribution
and average of the AOE values are placed within Vergès’ four quadrants to define of the the
AFE and average of the AOE values are
social representation of the smart city. placed within Vergès’ four quadrants to define the
social representation of the smart city.

Figure
Figure 1.
1. Vergès’ four-quadrant
Vergès’ four-quadrant technique.
technique. Adapted
Adapted fromfrom [44,56].
[44,56].

According to
According toPereira
Pereira[63], to to
[63], validate the the
validate central nucleus
central and the
nucleus andperipheral system system
the peripheral
of the social representation, one must carry out a similitude analysis through implica-
of the social representation, one must carry out a similitude analysis through implicative
tive statistics, as well as content analysis. Therefore, after assembling the Vergès’ quad-
statistics, as well as content analysis. Therefore, after assembling the Vergès’ quadrant, the
rant, the similitude and content analyses were performed using the R-based software
similitude and content analyses were performed using the R-based software Iramuteq ver-
Iramuteq version 0.7 alpha 2. The content analysis included the Descending Hierarchical
sion 0.7 alpha 2. The content analysis included the Descending Hierarchical Classification
Classification (DHC).
(DHC).
4. Results
4.4.1. Sample
Results
As the objective of this work is to identify the citizens’ perception about the smart city
4.1. Sample
concept, all people residing in urban areas who were familiar with the smart city concept
wereAs the objective
considered oftothis
eligible work is in
participate tothis
identify theThus,
research. citizens’ perception
to compose about for
the sample the smart
city concept, all people residing in urban areas who were familiar with
this investigation, an online snowball sampling was carried out using both email and the smart city con-
cept were
direct considered
messages eligible
via social media, to namely
participate in thisand
Whatsapp research.
LinkedinThus,
[64].to compose
This processthe
ledsample
for this investigation,
to 1200 people dwelling aninonline snowball
cities being sampling
contacted onlinewas carried348
of which outcitizens
using accepted
both email and
the invitation.
direct messagesFrom this total,
via social 284 persons
media, namelyparticipated
Whatsapp and in the evocation[64].
Linkedin of words and
This process led
answered the questionnaire in full—this entire process was conducted in Portuguese,
to 1200 people dwelling in cities being contacted online of which 348 citizens accepted as all the
respondents were Brazilian. In addition, of the 284 respondents considered, 205 said they
invitation. From this total, 284 persons participated in the evocation of words and an-
were familiar with the term “smart city” (72%). Thus, the final sample comprised those
swered the questionnaire in full—this entire process was conducted in Portuguese, as all
205 respondents, and its sociodemographic characteristics are presented below (Figure 2).
respondents were Brazilian.
As the research assumes thatIn addition, of the 284
the interviewees liverespondents considered,
in an urban area 205 said they
and are familiar
with the smart city concept, one can infer the suitability of the selected sample vis-à-vis the
target population of the research. Besides, the results of surveys using SRT involving about
100 participants are not very different from others involving larger samples [65]. Therefore,
with 205 valid respondents, we considered the sample obtained in this research sufficient
to analyze the proposed social representation.
 205 respondents, and its sociodemographic characteristics are presented below (Figure 2).
As the research assumes that the interviewees live in an urban area and are familiar
with the smart city concept, one can infer the suitability of the selected sample vis-à-vis
the target population of the research. Besides, the results of surveys using SRT involving
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 about 100 participants are not very different from others involving larger samples6 of[65].
16
Therefore, with 205 valid respondents, we considered the sample obtained in this research
sufficient to analyze the proposed social representation.

Sample Summary Profile

205 participants (who fully responded to the survey, knowers of the term Smart City)
1.025 words cited to represent the term Smart City
11 Brazilian states: 93% from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo
Average age 45 years old
69% Men and 31% Women
87% Graduated, M.Sc. or Ph.D.
43% Private Companies' employees, 20% Business Owners, 16% Public Employees etc.

Figure2.2.Sociodemographic
Figure SociodemographicCharacteristics
Characteristicsofofthe
theSample.
Sample.

4.2.
4.2.The
TheCentral
CentralNucleus
Nucleusand
andthe
thePeripheral
PeripheralSystem
System
The following question was posed
The following question was posed to the to the participants
participantsto define the the
to define social representation
social representa-
oftion
theofsmart city: “When you think of SMART CITY, what are the first five
the smart city: “When you think of SMART CITY, what are the first five expressions expressions that
come to your mind?” From the 205 responses from the survey, 1,025
that come to your mind?” From the 205 responses from the survey, 1,025 evoked terms evoked terms were
obtained. Once the
were obtained. evoked
Once expressions
the evoked were tabulated,
expressions the authors
were tabulated, manually
the authors conducted
manually con-
the respective
ducted categorization
the respective process, which
categorization resulted
process, whichinresulted
162 categories. Next, the minimum
in 162 categories. Next, the
evocation
minimumfrequency
evocationvalue was computed
frequency value wastocomputed
determinetothe placement
determine theofplacement
categories ofwithin
cate-
the four quadrants of Vergès’ framework. It should be noted that the average
gories within the four quadrants of Vergès’ framework. It should be noted that the average frequency of
evocation is widely recognized in academia as the minimum cut-off
frequency of evocation is widely recognized in academia as the minimum cut-off fre-frequency to be adopted
in research
quency to bethat uses social
adopted representation
in research that uses[66]. Asrepresentation
social a result, the inverse
[66]. Asaccumulation
a result, the of
in-
words with evocation frequencies from 22 to 88 times totaled 518 words,
verse accumulation of words with evocation frequencies from 22 to 88 times totaled 518 encompassing
12 different categories and representing 50.5% of the total of 1025 evoked words. That is,
words, encompassing 12 different categories and representing 50.5% of the total of 1025
to appear in Vergès’ quadrants, the category must have been evoked at least 22 times in
evoked words. That is, to appear in Vergès’ quadrants, the category must have been
this research. Of the 12 categories obtained from the most cited words—namely, that were
evoked at least 22 times in this research. Of the 12 categories obtained from the most cited
evoked 22 or more times (7.4% of the total)—Technology was the most cited category (8.6%),
words—namely, that were evoked 22 or more times (7.4% of the total)—Technology was
followed by Mobility (8.2%) and Sustainability (6.7%). Table 2 illustrates the frequencies
the most cited category (8.6%), followed by Mobility (8.2%) and Sustainability (6.7%). Ta-
and calculations of the AOE for each of those 12 categories.
ble 2 illustrates the frequencies and calculations of the AOE for each of those 12 categories.
Table 2. Frequencies and calculation of the AOE of the Vergès’ quadrant’s categories.

1st Citation 2nd Citation 3rd Citation 4th Citation 5th Citation Frequency AOE
Citations f1 f2 f3 f4 f5 ∑f
Technology 36 17 12 13 10 88 2.36
Mobility 28 20 18 10 8 84 2.4
Sustainability 19 16 16 6 12 69 2.65
Connectivity 23 7 9 6 2 47 2.09
Safety 4 8 11 13 5 41 3.17
Ease of Use 4 4 8 10 6 32 3.31
Integration 4 10 5 5 7 31 3.03
Efficiency 4 7 4 6 8 29 3.24
Innovation 8 4 9 5 2 28 2.61
Planning 8 3 8 2 3 24 2.54
Quality of Life 4 6 5 8 23 3.74
Agility 2 5 4 5 6 22 3.36

The median frequency of the 22 categories (31) and the average of the AOE of the
22 categories (2.84) were the cutoff point for the allocation in the top or bottom and left or
right quadrants. After the calculation of the AFE and AOE, it was possible to allocate the
categories into Vergès’ quadrants, composing the first design of the social representation of
the smart city, as shown in Figure 3.
 Agility 2 5 4 5 6 22 3.36

The median frequency of the 22 categories (31) and the average of the AOE of the 22
categories (2.84) were the cutoff point for the allocation in the top or bottom and left or
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155
right quadrants. After the calculation of the AFE and AOE, it was possible to allocate the
7 of 16
categories into Vergès’ quadrants, composing the first design of the social representation
of the smart city, as shown in Figure 3.

Technology (88; 2.36) Safety (41; 3.17)

AFE >= 31
Mobility (84; 2.40) Ease of Use (32; 3.31)
Sustainability (69; 2.65) Integration (31; 3.03)
Connectivity (47; 2.09)
AFE <= 22 to < 30

Innovation (28; 2.61) Efficiency (29; 3.24)

Planning (24; 2.54) Quality of Life (23; 3.74)
Agility (22; 3.36)

AOE < 2.84 AOE >= 2.84

Figure 3. Vergès Quadrant

Quadrant for
for the
the Smart
Smart City
City Social
Social Representation.
Representation.

To
To validate
validatethat social
that representation,
social one must
representation, carry carry
one must out a similitude analysis analysis
out a similitude through
implicative statistics, as well as content analysis, as presented below.
through implicative statistics, as well as content analysis, as presented below.

4.3.
4.3. Similitude Analysis
Similitude Analysis
The
The similitude
similitude analysis
analysis identifies
identifies the
the most
most relevant
relevant categories
categories among
among the
the analyzed
analyzed
ones [67,68]. Thus, using Iramuteq software version 0.7 alpha 2 [50], the similitude
Sustainability 2023, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 8 of 17tree
ones [67,68]. Thus, using Iramuteq software version 0.7 alpha 2 [50], the similitude tree
was generated with the 12 listed categories that comprise the social representation of the
was generated with the 12 listed categories that comprise the social representation of the
smart city (Figure 4).
smart city (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Smart
Figure citycity
4. Smart similitude tree.tree.
similitude

We found three categories with greater relevance in the similitude tree—i.e., with the
highest number of co-occurrences (connections), edges (lines), and frequencies (circle
size)—namely, Technology, Mobility and Sustainability. Technology has the greatest con-
nectivity, with the largest number of edges and co-occurrences with the other categories.
Thus, when comparing the similitude tree with the Vergès’ quadrant, Technology is con-
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 8 of 16

We found three categories with greater relevance in the similitude tree—i.e., with the
highest number of co-occurrences (connections), edges (lines), and frequencies
(circle size)—namely, Technology, Mobility and Sustainability. Technology has the greatest
connectivity, with the largest number of edges and co-occurrences with the other categories.
Thus, when comparing the similitude tree with the Vergès’ quadrant, Technology is con-
firmed as the most significant component of the central nucleus, being the strongest link
among the other categories that represent smart cities. Then, Mobility and Sustainabil-
ity follow, with more than 60 co-occurrences each. Connectivity appears next, although
with lower co-occurrence. However, as the AOE of Connectivity is low, this category is
characterized as having a priority position in the evocation order.
While Security has a high frequency of evocation, its sum of co-occurrences and edges
is much lower than the first four categories, and its AOE is much higher. Thus, it does not
appear in the Central Nucleus of the social representation with the others. Connectivity,
for example, presents many more co-occurrences than Security. Finally, Efficiency, Quality
of Life and Agility—all located in the peripheral system—present similar behavior in the
similitude tree.

4.4. Content Analysis

To allow a comparative analysis with the results of the social representation obtained
via EVOC, content analysis was carried out through the respondents’ open responses,
addressing
Sustainability 2023, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW the reasons for having chosen the first word evoked about the smart 9 of 17 city
concept. These responses consisted of phrases organized in a specific text file format so that
they could be read and analyzed via Iramuteq software version 0.7 alpha 2 [56]. The content
allowing
analysis for the
included interpretation
the DescendingofHierarchical
the word classes. Of the 201(DHC)
Classification phrases,and
138Correspondence
(71.1%) con-
tained
Factor appropriate
Analysis (CFA),explanations
as shown inand were 5.
Figure considered by the system.

Figure 5. Smart
Figure citycity
5. Smart dendrogram (DHC).
dendrogram (DHC).

The The
results generated
dendrogram by Iramuteq
presents classes 1show
and 2 four
as theclasses of words in
most significant, (Figure
terms of5).concen-
A dendro-
gramtration
was then generated to illustrate the hierarchical grouping of words
of text segments, both in the center but derived from the trunk that joins classes (DHC), thereby
3
allowing
and 4.forClass
the interpretation
1, with 34.1% of ofthe
thetext
word classes.indicates
segments, Of the 201 phrases,
that 138 (71.1%)
smart cities contained
have a strong
appropriate
connection explanations and were
with technology, whichconsidered
is the basisby the system.
capable of providing solutions and inno-
The dendrogram
vations presents classes
that bring development. 1 and 2Class
Moreover, as the2 most significant,
accounted in terms
for 24.6% of the of concentra-
text seg-
ments
tion of text and praisedboth
segments, the improvement
in the centerin thederived
but quality from
of lifethe
in smart
trunkcities through
that joins the effi-
classes 3 and 4.
Classcient and 34.1%
1, with optimized
of theusetext
of sustainable
segments, resources. Next,smart
indicates that Class cities
3 accounted
have afor 19.6%connection
strong of the
withtext segments which
technology, and praised
is thethe planning
basis capable andofmanagement of cities through
providing solutions the efficient that
and innovations
bring development. Moreover, Class 2 accounted for 24.6% of the text segmentstext
and optimized use of sustainable resources. Finally, Class 4, with 21.7% of the andseg-
praised
ments, powerfully highlights Mobility as the biggest problem in cities.
the improvement in the quality of life in smart cities through the efficient and optimized
Through content analysis, Quality of Life stands out very significantly in DHC as
use of sustainable resources. Next, Class 3 accounted for 19.6% of the text segments and
being directly linked to the leading group. Furthermore, the category stands out as the
strongest in class 2, together with the central group (class 1) of DHC. Moreover, by ana-
lyzing the phrases, it is observed that this category represents people’s expectations of a
smart city. In addition, as seen in the theoretical framework, Quality of Life is one of the
most common categories in the scientific literature on smart cities, appearing in almost all
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 9 of 16

praised the planning and management of cities through the efficient and optimized use
of sustainable resources. Finally, Class 4, with 21.7% of the text segments, powerfully
highlights Mobility as the biggest problem in cities.
Through content analysis, Quality of Life stands out very significantly in DHC as being
directly linked to the leading group. Furthermore, the category stands out as the strongest
in class 2, together with the central group (class 1) of DHC. Moreover, by analyzing the
phrases, it is observed that this category represents people’s expectations of a smart city. In
addition, as seen in the theoretical framework, Quality of Life is one of the most common
categories in the scientific literature on smart cities, appearing in almost all articles cited, as
shown in Table 1. Thus, based on the content analysis, Quality of Life was transferred from
Sustainability 2023, 15, x FOR PEER REVIEW 10 of 17
the peripheral system to the central nucleus [50], composing the final social representation
of a smart city, as shown in Figure 6.

CENTRAL NUCLEUS FIRST PERIPHERY

Technology
Mobility Safety
Sustainability Ease of Use
Connectivity Integration
Quality of Life

CONTRAST ZONE PERIPHERAL SYSTEM

Innovation Efficiency
Planning Agility

Figure6.6.Final
Figure Finalsocial
socialrepresentation
representationofofthe
thesmart
smartcity.
city.

5.5.Discussion
Discussionof ofKey
KeyFindings
Findings
The
Theultimate
ultimatesocial
socialrepresentation
representationof ofaasmart
smartcitycityenabled
enabledthe theidentification
identificationofofthethe
categories that are most strongly linked to this notion, thus embodying
categories that are most strongly linked to this notion, thus embodying the local collectivethe local collective
thinking.
thinking.Every
Everycategory
categoryfound
foundin inthe
thesocial
socialrepresentation
representationisisamongamongthe themost
mostfrequently
frequently
cited
citedby bytheoretical
theoreticalreferences,
references,especially
especiallythose
thosesituated
situatedininthe thecentral
centralnucleus,
nucleus,namely
namely
Technology,
Technology,Sustainability,
Sustainability,Mobility,
Mobility,Connectivity
Connectivity and
and Quality
Quality ofof
Life.
Life.
Although
AlthoughInnovation,
Innovation,Services,
Services,Economy
Economyand andInfrastructure
Infrastructureare arerecurrent
recurrentthemes
themesinin
the
the literature on smart cities, they were not included in the central nucleus of thesocial
literature on smart cities, they were not included in the central nucleus of the social
representation
representationofofthisthisconcept,
concept,although
althoughInnovation
Innovationwas waslocated
locatedininthe thecontrast
contrastzone
zoneofofthe
the
social
socialrepresentation.
representation.In Inaddition,
addition,People,
People,Society
Society(also
(alsocalled
calledCitizen
CitizenParticipation)
Participation)andand
Culture
Culturewerewereabsent
absentfrom
fromthethesocial
socialrepresentation
representationofofsmart smartcities
citiesininBrazil,
Brazil,although
althoughthey
they
are some of the most referenced topics in the scientific literature on the subject.
are some of the most referenced topics in the scientific literature on the subject. In addition, In addition,
Security—despite
Security—despitehaving havingaalesslessprominent
prominentrole roleininthe
thetheoretical
theoreticalframework—was
framework—wasalso also
outside the central nucleus of Vergès’ quadrant.
outside the central nucleus of Vergès’ quadrant.
Next,
Next,the
thecategories
categoriesthat comprise
that comprise thethe
central
centralnucleus
nucleus of the final
of the social
final representation
social representa-
oftion
theof
smart city are analyzed.
the smart city are analyzed.
5.1. Technology
5.1. Technology
Technology is fundamental for a smart city since ICT increases the efficiency and
Technology is fundamental for a smart city since ICT increases the efficiency and ex-
excellence of all urban systems: life, work, transport, entrepreneurship, green develop-
cellence
ment, of all urban systems:
environmental life,
protection, work, transport,
administration andentrepreneurship,
security [27,35]. Ingreen development,
the present study,
environmental protection, administration and security [27,35]. In the present
Technology appears in the central nucleus, associated with the highest evocation study, Tech-
of words
nology appears in the central nucleus, associated with the highest evocation of words
frequency, and, therefore, the main category of the social representation of a smart city. Thisfre-
quency, and, therefore, the main category of the social representation of a smart city. This
importance was confirmed by the similitude tree, in which Technology is the central point
of connection with other important categories. Regarding content analysis, Technology is
also confirmed in the leading group of DHC; it is mentioned in the open responses as an
essential attribute for the functioning of smart cities. It is also referred to as the attribute
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 10 of 16

importance was confirmed by the similitude tree, in which Technology is the central point
of connection with other important categories. Regarding content analysis, Technology is
also confirmed in the leading group of DHC; it is mentioned in the open responses as an
essential attribute for the functioning of smart cities. It is also referred to as the attribute
that connects the city to people, enhancing urban development and improving the living
quality of citizens.

5.2. Mobility
The second most important category of social representation is Urban Mobility, which
includes Transport. It is a category with a strong connection with Technology, a fact
supported by the similitude tree. Mobility also appears strongly linked to Connectivity
and Security. A transport system that allows intelligent connections, with less cost, less
time spent traveling and also safety, seems to be highly valued in Brazil. Furthermore,
the need for secure mobility in emerging economies is an aspect that seems to explain the
strong relationship between Mobility and Security. Mobility was mentioned in the content
analysis as an urgent issue, much more frequently mentioned than Security. Considering
the great propaganda in Brazil about the improvement of mobility—due to global events
such as the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016—we realized that there
were high expectations regarding the improvement of urban public transport. However,
these expectations were not met for the low-income population and for those who, despite
being able to pay for private transport, wish to use public transport more often [69]. In
addition, reducing time spent in traffic is a highly valued issue for all citizens. The lack
of Security in the central nucleus, appearing only in the first periphery, was surprising,
as it is a very present issue in the daily life of large Brazilian urban centers. Indeed, even
appearing as the fifth most cited category, Security was not confirmed in the central nucleus,
probably because most respondents in the sample can afford to use private transport, which
makes them feel more protected than the others who need to use public transport or walk
through cities.

5.3. Sustainability
Caragliu et al. [29] cite socio-environmental sustainability as an important strategic
component of a smart city. In fact, how the cities’ operation is planned is of fundamental
importance for their sustainable strategic development [37,70]. In the Vergès’ quadrant,
Sustainability appears as the third main category of the social representation of the smart
city. Its high frequency and low AOE took it to the central nucleus. Furthermore, the
similitude analysis verified the direct link between Sustainability and Technology, as well
as between Sustainability, Quality of Life and Innovation. Undoubtedly, it is difficult to
think about actions that involve large urban centers without the Sustainability issue being
observed [70]. Although the construct Sustainability has multiple interpretations [71], the
content analysis found that the term is closely associated with socio-environmental aspects,
such as resource use, pollution control and quality of life.

5.4. Connectivity
Gil-Garcia et al. [19] argue that connectivity—commonly associated with technology-
enabled connections to integrate data in real time—is a critical factor in the everyday
life of smart cities. Connectivity is also one of the leading indicators analyzed by smart
city rankings [72,73]. Connectivity is the fourth most remembered category, with the
lowest AOE in the Vergès’ quadrant as it occupies the first position in the evocation order.
Although in the scientific literature, the term is reasonably associated with Technology,
with both placed in the central nucleus, in the analysis of similitude, this dimension is
directly related to Mobility and Agility. Concerning Agility, it is associated with the speed
provided by digital connections. In the content analysis, people also cite Connectivity as a
fundamental attribute in setting up a smart city. In the quotations, the notion of connection
in cities—between systems, sensors, smartphones, people and places—is very present.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 11 of 16

Connectivity is, therefore, seen as an intrinsic factor to the operation of a smart city, thereby
generating perceptible benefits to the community.

5.5. Quality of Life

Quality of Life is one of the most desirable consequences of a smart city [8]. Although
the scope of smart city initiatives varies widely, in general, they aim to improve the citizens’
quality of life [4]. The scientific literature highlights Quality of Life as one of the most
cited subjects in studies on smart cities, appearing in twenty out of twenty-one references
on the topic. Although the category did not initially appear in the Vergès’ quadrant, its
prominence in other analyses led it to the central nucleus. In both the DHC and the CFA,
the category received considerable prominence in the open responses. A better Quality of
Life seems, therefore, to be one of the greatest aspirations of citizens for a smart city.

5.6. Culture and Citizens’ Participation: Two Missing Categories

The categories of Culture and Citizens’ Participation have a strong presence in the
scientific literature on smart city. Conversely, we realized the almost total absence of
them in the evoked expressions in this study. Of the 21 articles analyzed, 18 indicate
a connection between culture and the smart city. Ramaprasad et al. [22] proposed an
ontological framework for smart cities, in which Culture is a key factor for the intelligence
of a city, and this category is also a relevant component in the rankings of smart cities. The
IESE 2019 ranking [72], for instance, considers the level of education and access to culture
as irreplaceable components for assessing the human capital of a smart city, comprising
the number of theaters, art galleries, museums and the citizens’ spending time on leisure,
thereby reflecting the city’s commitment to the theme [72]. In Brazil, Culture is absent
from the words evoked, being only indirectly cited in related categories such as Arts,
Entertainment and Tourism—which were also only slightly evoked. A possible explanation
for this may lie in the perception of the Brazilian population that this is a matter of minor
importance in view of the great basic challenges faced by the local society. Thus, while
there are several categories associated with smart cities, Culture is not currently seen as a
local priority, although this may change in the future in the context of emerging markets.
Citizens’ Participation also figured with very low representativeness among the evoca-
tions. However, when talking about smart cities, the participation of citizens in managing
urban spaces is an essential issue, being constantly present in the literature on smart cities
in developed countries, and lacking in developing countries [74,75]. Some authors point to
an evolution of this concept towards a “smart human city”, where new forms of governance
are envisaged to plan and develop citizen-oriented cities, focusing specifically on the human
dimension of smart cities [76]. Brazil currently faces a significant disparity in transparency
and social participation [77]. However, the emergence of Information and Communication
Technology has improved citizens’ access to public initiatives through websites and appli-
cations. As a result, citizens are increasingly interested in government actions, seeking a
more active involvement in issues related to the society in which they are inserted [61].

6. Conclusions
Based on the findings presented and the consequent discussion developed, some
implications for both theory and practice are presented below. Then, the limitations of this
research are addressed as well as further research to be conducted in this realm. Finally, we
present some final conclusions accrued from this research.

6.1. Implications for Theory and Practice

According to the scientific literature, a smart city is a polysemic concept without a con-
solidated definition [19,20,31], as it is a recent issue that has emerged from demands raised
by companies and governments [33,61]. In addition, the smart city is an interdisciplinary
knowledge field encompassing and linking many ideas and domains [19,35]. Therefore, to
comprehend the potential effects of smart cities on societies, it is necessary for academia to
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 12 of 16

deeply comprehend the demographic, economic, institutional and environmental context

in which smart cities are implemented and operationalized [78].
However, it was noticed, through this study, that most of the scientific literature on
smart cities has come from developed countries rather than the Global South; interestingly,
where the largest urban agglomerations with major problems to be faced are located. Thus,
an adequate body of knowledge on smart cities in developing countries is still lacking. In
this vein, the concept of Smart City for Development (SC4D), created and exploited by
Joia and Kuhl [18], contemplates the idea of implementing smart city solutions that aim
to positively impact the development of emerging markets, reinforcing the importance of
taking into consideration seriously the difference contexts of cities located in developed
and developing countries [79]. In the case of Brazil, although at the national level there are
basic problems in areas such as security, health and education, on the other hand there are
cities that have the potential to establish themselves as smart cities in other dimensions,
such as mobility, sustainability and renewable energy [80]. However, for this potential to be
fulfilled in Brazil and other similar emerging economies, it is necessary to have an adequate
local comprehension of the concept of a smart city and coherent governmental planning of
smart city initiatives [73,79].
Additionally, although notable successful smart city initiatives exist in other countries,
attempting to replicate them verbatim in emerging economies may result in a significant
failure [81]. Therefore, to effectively design and plan smart cities, it is crucial to have a
deep understanding of society’s general views and attitudes towards this subject. In this
sense, the use of social representation is highly relevant to obtain more detailed insights
into the perceptions of decision makers and society in general about the smart city concept.
In fact, the smart city is still a poorly studied field from the perspective of emerging
countries. Thus, by debating and facing the main challenges for the development of cities,
it is possible to promote the sustainable alleviation of poverty and inequality, thus allowing
the materialization of sustainable city development [82]. Therefore, the objective of this
study is to provide assistance to scholars, public policymakers and companies to deepen the
understanding of local needs, aiming to prioritize smart city initiatives that can successfully
promote the sustainable development of cities located in emerging markets.
Moreover, considering the interdisciplinarity of the theme, research on smart cities
must encompass different theoretical and methodological approaches. However, regardless
of the approach chosen, it is essential to have defined, unequivocally, the construct to be
studied, namely the smart city. In this sense, a definition of smart city can be proposed
based on the categories located in the central nucleus of the social representation of this
concept, namely: “a smart city is a sustainable technology-based community that, through
connectivity, aims to improve the mobility and quality of life of its citizens”.
In addition, with regard to practice, this study shows ordinary citizens’ limited per-
ception about the concept of a smart city. This fact can make it difficult to take advantage
of the potential of smart city initiatives, highlighting the need for municipalities to develop
capacity-building initiatives that can sensitize their civil servants and citizens to what a
smart city actually is and its due impacts on society in general.
Furthermore, both Brazilian citizens and academia [83] have perceived smart cities as
fundamentally technocentric initiatives. Thus, there is a need for a research agenda on the
interdisciplinary perspective of smart city initiatives, as well as on the critical success factors
for such ventures and the fundamental role of context in them [78], especially for emerging
markets, as most smart city research has been based on the context of developed countries.

6.2. Research Limitations

This research, as usual, is not free of limitations, as presented below.
First, the sample used does not fully represent the population of the cities where data
were collected, as the respondents needed to be aware of the smart city concept. Thus, the
poorest population—who supposedly have no idea what a smart city is and could benefit
most from a smart city initiative—was not covered by this work.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 8155 13 of 16

Second, once the evoked expressions were tabulated, the authors manually performed
the respective categorization process with the help of the EVOC software 2005, which
resulted in 162 categories. This categorization, however, may have some bias, and, therefore,
is a limitation of the research.
Third, data collection took place online due to the social isolation imposed by the
COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. This fact may have influenced the citizens’ evocations, since
theoretically they had time to think about what should be said.
Fourth, this work was conducted in Brazil, herein considered a proxy for other emerg-
ing markets regarding smart city initiatives. Although there are many similarities between
the contexts of these countries, one cannot guarantee that the social representation of a
smart city in Brazil according to ordinary citizens fully corresponds to the same found in
other emerging economies.
All the abovementioned limitations, however, can be overcome through further re-
search on the concept of smart cities.
Finally, given that research on smart cities is still in its infancy in Brazil and other
low- and middle-income countries, it is hoped that this article has helped to improve the
understanding of this complex concept. In fact, when shedding light on a comparative
dialogue between the perspectives of ordinary Brazilian citizens and the academic literature
on the real definition of smart cities, it was noticed that several dimensions associated with
this concept have been neglected by city dwellers, who attribute a technological monopoly
to the smart city concept, leaving aside important dimensions associated with it, such as its
positive impact on the humanization of large communities, on citizen participation and on
the cultural strengthening of a city.
All in all, it is hoped that this work has contributed to clarifying how a smart city is
perceived by ordinary citizens in emerging markets such as Brazil, so that effective public
policies in this realm can be developed and implemented successfully.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, F.M.; methodology, F.M.; software, F.M.; validation,

L.A.J.; formal analysis, F.M.; investigation, F.M.; resources, F.M.; data curation, F.M. and L.A.J.;
writing—original draft preparation, F.M.; writing—review and editing, F.M. and L.A.J.; visualization,
F.M. and L.A.J.; supervision, L.A.J.; project administration, F.M. and L.A.J.; funding acquisition, L.A.J.
All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: This research was funded by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological
Development (CNPq), grant number PQ 304290/2021-1, and the Brazilian School of Public and
Business Administration at Getulio Vargas Foundation, grant number Propesquisa 304290/2021-1
(L.A.J.), and it was financed in part by the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher
Education Personnel (CAPES)—Finance Code 001 (F.M.).
Institutional Review Board Statement: Ethical review and approval were waived for this study as
responses were anonymized.
Informed Consent Statement: Consent of respondents was waived, as they were made aware that
their identities had been anonymized.
Data Availability Statement: The dataset used during the current study is available from the corre-
sponding author on reasonable request.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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