The human side of smart cities and the role of social entrepreneurship

Abstract

The concept of the smart city (SC) is a promising concept that has received increasing attention due to its potential for improving the quality of life in cities. The concept began to be rooted in the idea of use information and communication technologies to improve the well-being of citizens. However, the most recent interpretations of the concept point to the need for a more holistic vision of SC, which contemplates other features relevant to urban dynamics and development. Through the study of a social entrepreneurship initiative (CAIS - Associação de Solidariedade Social) that operates in the two main Portuguese cities, Lisbon and Porto, this research aims to help understand to what extent it is possible to make smart cities more humanized and sustainable through social entrepreneurship. The data survey was done using a triangulation of sources, primary and secondary. The results obtained indicate that through social entrepreneurship initiatives it is possible to contribute positively to the creation of value in cities, through the improvement of the quality of life of their citizens and the sustainable resolution of some of the most urgent social imbalances. The research indicates that the adoption of a strategy based on the valorisation of the human component has been able to produce a sustainable response and to contribute positively to other dimensions of intelligent cities. Data analysis was based on primary and secondary sources that were triangulated to assure validity. The results obtained indicate that social entrepreneurship initiatives are able to positively contribute to the creation of value in cities, through the improvement of the quality of life of their citizens and the sustainable solution of some of their most urgent social imbalances. The research reveals that the use of a strategy based on the valorization of the human component is able to produce a sustainable response and contribute to other dimensions of smart cities.

Keywords: Smart cities. Social entrepreneurship. Social value. Social innovation. Portugal.