The concept of smart cities has evolved beyond technological innovations to include governance, community involvement, and sustainability. While smart cities are recognized for addressing urban challenges like traffic congestion, public service inefficiencies, and environmental issues, the role of supporting ecosystems—comprising governance, technological infrastructure, and community engagement—remains underexplored. Tangerang City, near Jakarta, Indonesia, exemplifies how these ecosystems enable smart city initiatives, particularly through the Tangerang LIVE application. This platform integrates over 100 sub-applications addressing diverse public needs, from infrastructure reporting to health and education access.This study examines the impact of governance, technological resources, and community readiness on smart city implementation in Tangerang. Using a mixed-methods approach—including surveys of government officials and residents, interviews, and secondary data analysis—the research identifies key enablers and challenges. Findings reveal Tangerang’s governance is strongly committed to smart city development, as evidenced by its inclusion in mid-term development plans. The technological framework, featuring Tangerang LIVE Room, public Wi-Fi, and integrated applications, significantly enhances service delivery and urban management. However, inter-agency coordination remains a challenge, hindering collaboration with other local governments. The study underscores the importance of aligning governance, technology, and community readiness to effectively advance smart city initiatives. Tangerang’s experience highlights the critical role of ecosystems in realizing smart city goals, offering valuable insights for other cities pursuing similar projects.
Lestari et al. (Sun,) studied this question.