Smart city governance and public value creation: an analysis in emerging cities

Governance is a core component of smart cities, yet further research is needed to understand its internal structure and interactions. This study analyzes how smart city governance (SCG) is configured and the types of public value it generates in two emerging economy cities: Medellín, Colombia, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, the research draws on 70 interviews, non-participant observation, and over 40 official documents. It proposes a socio-technical SCG model with four components: strategic management, collective intelligence, technological intelligence, contextual conditions, alongside a public value outcome dimension, 12 subcomponents and 15 types of public value. These values fall into two categories: urban sustainability and internal efficiency and effectiveness. The model offers an integrative framework for understanding SCG and guiding policy and program design.