Novel Perception for Small and Medium Sized City Development With Smart Urban Profiling and Management 

Abstract: Rapidly changing framework conditions for city development and urban area growth resulted in far-reaching transformations. Many cities attempting to improve the quality of life and urban living in the future, while the world has become predominantly urban. Therefore, it is important to have a solid and realistic plan to respond to these changes. Life in cities and urban areas of tomorrow will differ essentially from present circumstances. Procedures and strategies to resolve issues in this complex environment of cities and urban areas require a close cooperation with government and technology. In order to make citizen to live better in cities and urban areas, low-tech and high-tech approaches pertaining to transportation, buildings, utilities and smart citizens services should be balanced. This study focuses on a novel multi-dimensional model that accounts for managed growth strategies (“smart growth”), cultural amenities as well as economic vitality and sustainable development goals in a scientific and coherent matter. The Model shows a novel holistic Smart Urban Profiling and Management Model to support a smart cities market and smart growth. The assessment included literature analysis, secondary surveys and interviews of trained professionals. European cities with similar planning and zoning authorities were included in the analysis, therefore Austria was used as representative for European cities, since its small and medium sized towns are typical of Austrian small-scale structures. The data shown in this paper applied qualitative and quantitative methods to satisfy the requirements of a descriptive questions because of the lack of a quantitively verifiable hypothesis. Here, it displays analysis of critical elements of the Model and expert surveys in relation to a Smart City Market plan. Adaptation management methods with novel and established smart city strategies that also improves sustainable urban development goals, are combined in the “Smart Urban Profiling and Management Model”. The Model constitutes a conceptual framework that can be used by various stakeholders. It is systematic and strategic and allows more efficiently to respond to changing market conditions and innovations, to aide policy makers in the administration and management of cities.

Key words: adaption management, city & urban development and management, profile-oriented marketing, smart city strategies, sustainability

       JEL codes: O18, R00, R11, R58