Integrating Social Innovation and Technological Advancements for Sustainable Urban Development: A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Smart Cities

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-876-9_23How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Social Innovation; Technological Advancements; Sustainable Urban Development; Smart Cities; Cross-Disciplinary Analysis

Abstract

The increasing pace of urbanization presents significant challenges in ensuring sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity in cities. In response, integrating social innovation with technological advancements has emerged as a transformative approach to sustainable urban development. This study provides a cross-disciplinary analysis of smart cities, focusing on the synergy between social and technological innovations. Social innovation encompasses participatory governance, community-driven solutions, and inclusive policies that enhance civic engagement and social equity. Meanwhile, technological advancements—such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, and blockchain—drive efficiency in resource management, urban mobility, and public service delivery.

Through a comparative analysis of successful smart city initiatives worldwide, this study identifies key enablers and barriers in merging these two domains. The research highlights the importance of policy frameworks, public-private partnerships, and stakeholder collaboration in fostering integrated urban ecosystems. Case studies from cities such as Singapore, Barcelona, and Amsterdam illustrate how digital transformation can complement social innovation to enhance quality of life, environmental sustainability, and economic development. However, challenges such as data privacy concerns, digital divides, and regulatory constraints pose significant hurdles to seamless integration.

The study argues that a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach—balancing technological advancements with human-centric urban planning—is essential for long-term sustainability. By developing inclusive governance models and leveraging technology for social good, cities can foster more adaptive, efficient, and equitable urban environments. This research contributes to the growing discourse on smart cities by proposing an integrated framework that aligns digital transformation with socially-driven urban strategies. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and technology developers aiming to create resilient and sustainable urban futures.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Shabana Azami
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/10/23
TI  - Integrating Social Innovation and Technological Advancements for Sustainable Urban Development: A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis of Smart Cities
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Science and Technology for Tomorrow (SciTech 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 304
EP  - 318
SN  - 3091-4442
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-876-9_23
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-876-9_23
ID  - Azami2025
ER  -