Testing the Smart City Paradigm in Italian Mid-Sized Cities: An Empirical Analysis

Urban management in the South of Europe is a very complex issue. The smart city model can offer an innovative response to this complexity, both by improving quality of life and by furthering sustainable development. Implementing an effective smart city model requires its inclusion in urban strategic planning in an integrated and comprehensive manner, sometimes backed by regional, national, and international support policies. Within this framework, the aim of this article is twofold. It intends to clarify the definition of the smart city model as it is applied in the Southern European context, and it aims to contribute to the development of the smart city as an effective model for urban management and to the assessment of its planning in mid-sized cities. This in-depth assessment will bring into focus some critical considerations involved in smart city planning initiatives and will offer useful recommendations for future policymakers.