Exploring the smart city mindset in small municipalities : A case study An embedded single case study of small Norwegian municipalities

Abstract

The premise of this thesis is that cities and small municipalities are two closely related but different types of entities. However, with regards to making settlements smarter, the smart city has received ample attention, while the small smart municipality has been neglected enough that an investigation into its trials and potential triumphs of the is warranted. The purpose of this thesis is to acquire a deeper understanding of how and to what extent small municipalities can adopt and apply the smart city mindset. In order to shed some light on the subject matter, we have explored the state of applied ICT and smart city initiatives where they exist in smaller Norwegian municipalities with a population of 15,000 citizens or lower. Using a six-dimensional smart city model as a basis, we have examined which challenges, smartness interventions, and benefits are present in our selection of Norwegian small municipalities. This study has been conducted as an embedded exploratory single case study, where qualified personnel from smaller Norwegian municipalities have been interviewed on the topic of municipal smartness. In total, 12 interviews with representatives of Norwegian municipalities have been conducted, and one interview has been conducted with the representative of an organisation for intermunicipal collaboration. After conducting a thematic analysis, we reached a number of conclusions. Our findings indicate that although few municipalities are labelling them self as smart municipalities, they are actively working on introducing ICT and smartness-enabling interventions in new and unorthodox ways. The most significant barriers to becoming smarter appear to be ICT infrastructure deficit, a lack of ICT expertise, and economic limitations – issues that can be ameliorated by combining resources through an intermunicipal cooperation. Those municipalities who engage with the smart city concept are often driven by dedicated personnel, like a project champion or an otherwise committed municipal leadership who are aware of the smart city concept