Ciies and new ideas for the XXI century

1. A Focus on Innovation: Cities and
Local Political Leadership
Presentation preparedby
OlgaGil
ECPR Joint Sessions
Warsawa 29 March - 2 April 2015
City Leadership and Austerity: Political Strategies for Local
Governing in Times of Crisis Workshop 6
Directors: Colin Copus & Kristof Steyvers

2. Cities

3. Index Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges
Annex I, II, III

4. Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges
A focus on innovation: Cities and PoliticalLeadership Olga Gil @OlgaG

5. Definitions of smart cities under three traditions:
1) human capital 2) technology [and 3) digital literacy]
What makes a city smart?
Differences in actual definition of smart in
cities are important. They are translated into
differences in governance locally as we have later
founded.
More on definitions: www.slideshare.net/olga.gil/smart-cities-euraconference2013/6
A focus on innovation: Cities and Political Leadership Olga Gil @OlgaG
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

6. Theoretically
We founded differences among those three approaches: 1)
human capital, 2) technological progress, 3) the normative
question: What are the skills that people and citizens shall
have to be digitally literate in the XXI century? In other works
Gil, Navarro and Navío tested whether the third approach –
digital literacy- is present or absent in the eight cities
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

7. Our model and the variables Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

8. Hypothesis: Factors to advance the smart plans are key to differentiate models of urban
governance.
Comparison includes non European cases. Why? Choice of cases driven by an interest to
learn from innovation practices in different world institutional settings. Plus, an interest to get
close to the industry and citizen participation
In previous work presented in Baltimore and Twente we looked at eight factors in five cities:
management and organization, technology, governance, policy context, people and
communities, economy, built infrastructure, and natural environment
From these previous works we conclude that governance could be a key
overarching variable, embracing the rest as subcategories. We work analyzing
governance as overarching category embracing the rest of variables
This work is based on research conducted by Olga Gil, Carmen Navarro and Julio Navío (2013-2014)
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

9. Urban Annual Growth Rate% shows converging trend

10. The wider context
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

11. Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

13. • Amsterdam most deviant case in
governance, scoring the highest [and citizen
participation]
• Confirmation of hypothesis: smart plans
are key to diferenciate cases
• Small size favors experiments, however
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesys
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges
Concluding remarks

14. ● Governance depends on vision
● New Vision. Patterns of intergovernmental relationships,
complex networks, new political actors at the meso level, new
territorial distribution of power and growth of interest in local
democracy, across the cases
● Evaluation is key, and we find Shanghai and Japan doing it
● Wide gap among the language of policy makers, firms and
citizens/communities. The challenge to incorporate people and
communities into participatory projects
● Multi faceted sides of the smart concept are being established
locally, by national and/or local governments
● The stress on what smarts entails is very different and open to
policy conceptualization --in some cases, open to society
engagement
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges
Concluding remarks

15. Findings’ headline
“smartness as a vision to respond to local governance
challenges”
Generally: Significant role that local governments play in cities
Shanghai: Giant developing infrastructure and global influence
Malaysia: Getting a place in the geo-regional area
Japan and Amsterdam: Facing energy constraints with innovation
New York: Innovation for civic engagement
Spain: Opportunities for economic reactivation?
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

16. Policy implications
How city leaders govern and engage in
governance networks shape policies to pursue
economic growth and sustainability
Strategies to solve complex issues related to the
glocal dimension –global/local- are targeted to
enhance governing capacity in a variety of ways
There are actual strategies that leaders develop to
enhace influence in governance networks
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

17. Really at a cross road?
Shortcomings?
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

18. Shall we rethink austerity and leadership in the
way Benckler suggests?
"Are property and markets the roots of all
growth and productivity?”
Benckler proposes to rethink the institutional
ecology of innovation and information
production
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

19. Rethinking austerity and leadership?
Property and markets, roots of all growth and productivity?
“the basic technologies of information processing, storage, and communication have made
nonproprietary models more attractive and effective than was ever before possible. Ubiquitous low-
cost processors, storage media, and networked connectivity have made
it practically feasible for individuals, alone and in
cooperation with others, to create and exchange
information, knowledge, and culture in patterns of
social reciprocity, redistribution, and sharing, rather
than proprietary, market-based production. The basic material
capital requirements of information production are now in the hands of a billion people around the
globe who are connected to each other more or less seamlessly. These material conditions have
given individuals a new practical freedom of action.
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

20. Rethinking austerity and leadership?
Can we conceive of a smaller scale citizenship
that provides rights and responsibilities to
denizens of a local región?
Are there limits to policy transfer?
Scope
Definitions
Theory & framework
Hipothesis
Model
Amsterdam
Findings
Challenges

21. Many thanks for your attention,
your reading and comments !

22. Suggested resources

23. Index Annex I
Who we are
Annex II
Previous work
Annex III
Variables in detail

24. Annex I
Who we are

25. Key baseline
Understanding Change
Vision, Strategy and
Innovación
developed non for profit
at @TicWisdom since 2006
Access to Videos

26. Dr. Ignacio Criado
How do we aplly this to Smart Cities?
Scientific side The Smart Local Team
Academia UAM Madrid
Olga Gil, PhD Carmen Navarro, PhD
Carlos Alba

27. Who we are
ONE Executive coordination, sponsorship management Academia
@UAM_Madrid
TWO Sponsors COIT, Accenture, TicWisdom They tell us what their
interests are, give us ideas, and they finance our work –covering trips and technology
mostly –some specialized work
THREE Social intervention and visualization Paisaje Transversal pure
makers http://www.paisajetransversal.com
FOUR Non-for-profit Lab @TicWisdom Activism and difusión of ideas

28. Annex II
Previous work
Comparative research on
smart citizens and
smart cities

29. Analysis and Findings
1. Management and organization:
• Cases in which the central government fosters an investment lead
model, such as the case of China and municipalities;
• A case such as Iskandar, in which the regional development agency
furthers the goals set up by the government;
• A case such as the four smart pilots in Japan, where localities and
regions work together with the industry to develop solutions with global
application;
• The New York city model, in which NY university and the city council
cooperate in smart data projects
• Málaga (ICT centre), Santander (National and International network)
Tarragona case, where a Foundation has been set up to advance the
defined smart goals.

30. 2. Technology concerns vary a lot among the selected cases:
• Shanghai and Japan focus on the smart grid and the development of a
local and global industry.
• In cases of both China and Japan the smart cities discourse is also linked
to defending urban design and optimized services -based on distributed
power. Iskandar is concerned with traffic and CO2 emissions. New York
is focusing on big data management.
• Amsterdam is concerned with new energy models, Santander focuses
on sensors and eficiency and Tarragona is concerned with the chemical
industry and transport efficiency.
The search for solutions and the partnerships to attained them is widely
varied in the eight cases examined.
Analysis and Findings

31. 2. Technology (II)
• In China, Japan, Iskandar in Malaysia, New York in the United States and
Tarragona, Spain, smart has to do with technologies that allow us to
incorporate intelligence into systems to achieve efficiencies, reducing
energy consumption and CO2 emissions.
• In most cases incorporating new technology is linked to a discourse
pledging for smart devices to curve energy consumption in buildings -
providing a near-zero energy consumption.
Analysis and Findings

32. 3. Governance Models: different in the cases explored.
• Shanghai partners with universities, firms, foreign firms as well as banks. Users are
not part of the equation as developers.
• In Japan local governments partner with firms in different industry sectors
including the university, technological firms, power –including gas- as well as real
estate firms
• In Iskandar governance depends on the Regional Authority appointed for the
development of the conceived smart city.
• In New York we find the leadership of the city government, the university as well
as a general call to citizens developers through open technologies.
• Tarragona steering committee is a Foundation.
Governance models are affected by 4. the policy context. We find a mayor leap of the
central government in the cases of China, Iskandar and Japan, while New York,
Amsterdam, Malaga, Santander and Tarragona respond to autonomous local policies.
Analysis and Findings

33. 5. People and Communities
• Have a bigger say in the case of New York, where we find windows of
opportunity for citizen developers and firms, as well as Amsterdam.
• Citizens participate mainly as users in the case of Santander, Tarragona
and Japan -residents are those specifically addressed to contribute in
Japan.
• In the case of Iskandar, city dwellers would participate in security issues
according to the drafted plans.
• In Shanghai top participants are members of the party.
Analysis and Findings

34. 6. Economy
• An intended economy boost underlines all the plans of the smart
projects explored. Constraints are different in each case:
• Shanghai has been in better condition to fund smart projects, and
has poured funds to this strategic area, as it defines it. Banks are also
willing to ease funds for.
• Japan, Europe and the United States are all affected by fiscal cliffs
and economic downturn.
• Malaysia is in better shape, and is trying to gain momentum
promoting Iskandar as an important trade hub in Asia, looking
forward foreign capital as a main driver of Iskandar.
Analysis and Findings

35. 7. Built infrastructure
Has different scope in the cases we have explored. Following Hollands (2008)
‘undergird’ the social capital is critical to embed the required the informational and
communicative qualities of smart cities. From this perspective:
– New York would be the city rating higher.
– However, the focus that Shanghai and Japan are putting in the smart
grid should not be downrated. Smart grids could represent an
interesting and disrupting way to fuel energy thirsty cities.
– Conceptually the possibilities for users and citizen engagement in built
infrastructure might be linked to the concept of Internet with Things,
suggested by Russell Davies. This is an evolved concept from the
Internet of Things, with scope for citizen empowerment. It refers to
developments driven by citizens in a distributed way, using
programming based on Arduino open architecture
Analysis and Findings

36. 8. Natural environment
• Concerns present in all the cases explored.
• Japan did set up the smart pilots in the aftermath of the
nuclear accidents.
• China faces severe environmental concerns. Malaysia is also
aware in Iskandar.
• New York has suffered severe impact of climate change in
november 2012.
• Málaga, Santander and Tarragona are also concerned.
This field poses the biggest challenges at a global level.
Analysis and Findings

44. ANNEX III
THE VARIABLES IN DETAIL

45. Variables in the study

46. Variables in the study

47. Variables in the study

48. Variables in the study

49. Variables in the study

50. Policy context:
– “Political components represent various political elements (city
council, city government and city mayor) and external pressures such
as policy agendas and politics that may affect the outcomes of
initiatives” Chourabi
– Federal systems present additional challenges derived from the
particularities of the relationships (intergovernmental relationships)
Chourabi

51. smart citizens, smart cities and ideas for the future.
Gil is chief executive for applied research. Most recent international presentations include
Baltimore and Tweente (Holland) where work was discussed with world class experts on city
development and public policy.
Education Ph.D. in Social and Political Sciences. European University Institute, Florence. 2000. Thesis: The Politics of Telecommunicat ions in the United
States and Spain (1875-2000). Florence, Italy. Published by CIS (Madrid). AECPA Best Book Award 2003. M.A. in Political Science, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. Thesis: “Structuring Telecommunications Markets from the Brazilian and the Unit ed States Perspectives (1875-
1994)”. Postgraduate Certificate in Latin American Studies. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 1994.Bachelor Degree i n Political Science (1987-1992)
and Bachelor Degree in Journalism (1985-1990), Universidad Complutense de Madrid.
She also joined INSEAD (strategy), IESE (future finance) and IE (project management) for spezialization courses