Investigating the role of smart cities in poverty alleviation

Abstract

The concept of smart cities stands out in the literature when discussing urban development, digital transformation, and the quality of life of urban citizens. Despite the exponential increase in research in this field, little has been explored about the role of different actors in the urban ecosystem in addressing one of the greatest contemporary challenges: poverty. In this regard, this study explores the potential of smart cities and the actors of the quadruple helix to create projects and action plans to address urban challenges, particularly in the context of mitigating global poverty. To achieve this, a systematic and critically reflective literature review was conducted, supported by the PRISMA-P protocol, in order to identify and discuss the role and actions of each element of the quadruple helix (government, organizations, universities, and organized civil society) in transforming cities into intelligent spaces capable of mitigating poverty through sustainable and resilient pathways. The results show that other urban dimensions, such as the economic dimension and the business ecosystem, are being prioritized, while few actions are being taken to mitigate poverty, particularly in countries of the global South.