The quest for attractiveness and sustainability is at the heart of the concerns of territories in the 21st century. Faced with complex environmental, social and economic challenges, cities, regions and local communities are called upon to rethink their management and development models. It is in this context that the concept of "Territorial Smart Management" emerges, as an innovative approach based on the growing need to exploit technologies to manage territories in an efficient, attractive and sustainable way, to address contemporary challenges such as attractiveness, urbanization, climate change and economic competitiveness.
This collective book is committed to exploring the opportunities, challenges and implications of deploying smart management solutions for the attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion of territories. It offers an interdisciplinary platform where leading researchers and practitioners share their theoretical perspectives, inspiring case studies and practical recommendations for local ecosystem actors.
By examining emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain and digital twins, this book highlights their potential to rethink territorial management processes, optimize the use of resources, stimulate open attractiveness and co-construct sustainable solutions with citizens and stakeholders. At the same time, a critical analysis is also proposed, revealing the organizational, legal, ethical and societal risks and challenges related to the adoption of these technologies.
Beyond the technological aspects, this book explores organizational changes, collaborative governance models, innovative financing mechanisms and territorial marketing strategies needed to support the transition to smart, innovative and sustainable territories. It highlights the potential synergies between smart management initiatives, local entrepreneurship, circular economy and sustainable development goals.
By bringing together contributions from researchers, policy makers, professionals and experts from various disciplines, This book aims to stimulate a fruitful dialogue and promote a thorough understanding of the issues related to the deployment of Territorial Smart Management. It offers readers innovative perspectives, concrete examples and practical recommendations to address current challenges and shape more innovative, sustainable and inclusive territories for future generations.
• Gaps and research issues:
The book aims to fill many gaps in theoretical, methodological and empirical research, including:
• Theoretical gaps:
→ Lack of integrative conceptual frameworks linking Territorial Smart Management, attractiveness and sustainability.
→ Limited understanding of the mechanisms by which emerging technologies can stimulate attractiveness and sustainability in a territorial context.
→ Need for theoretical models explaining the conditions and factors for the successful adoption and implementation of Territorial Smart Management.
→ Lack of clarity on the ethical, legal and societal implications and challenges related to the deployment of smart management technologies.
• Methodological gaps:
→ Need to develop methods for evaluating and measuring the impacts of Territorial Smart Management on attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion.
→ Lack of methodological approaches to compare and benchmark smart management practices between different territories.
→ Need to adopt mixed methodologies combining quantitative and qualitative data for a thorough understanding of the phenomenon.
→ Need to develop tools and techniques to facilitate co-creation and stakeholder involvement in the design of smart management solutions.
• Empirical gaps:
→ Lack of detailed case studies and benchmarking on successful implementation of Territorial Smart Management in different contexts.
→ Limited understanding of the challenges and obstacles faced by territories when deploying smart management solutions.
→ Need to explore best practices and key success factors for the adoption and sustainability of Territorial Smart Management.
→ Need for empirical studies on the real impacts of smart management on the attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion of territories.
• Main issue:
How can smart land management approaches be designed and implemented to simultaneously increase the attractiveness and sustainability of territories?
Subsidiary questions:
→ What are the conceptual frameworks innovative theoretical perspectives and relevant empirical models to understand and analyze the role of Territorial Smart Management in promoting innovation, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion?
→ What are the best practices for integrating smart city/smart territory into attractiveness and sustainability strategies?
→ What are the main challenges and opportunities for territories in implementing smart solutions for sustainability and attractiveness?
→ How to measure and assess the impact of smart management initiatives on the attractiveness and sustainability of territories?
→ What are the respective roles of public, private and civil society actors in promoting Territorial Smart Management for attractiveness and
→ What are the best practices, key success factors and collaborative governance models needed for successful adoption of Territorial Smart Management?
This list of gaps and these research questions will guide the contributions of the collective work towards relevant theoretical, methodological and empirical perspectives while addressing the crucial issues related to the use of Territorial Smart Management to stimulate the attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion of territories.
Objective:
The book aims to position itself as an invaluable resource, both for researchers and for local practitioners and actors. It is committed to enriching the body of theoretical and methodological knowledge on Territorial Smart Management while offering tangible tools for effective action in the field. Through pragmatic perspectives, inspiring illustrations and operational recommendations, it aspires to promote the implementation of initiatives promoting the attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion of territories. This balanced approach between theory and practice aims to catalyze concrete initiatives, transcending disciplinary boundaries and working towards more resilient and inclusive territorial development.
For the scientific community, this book seeks to contribute to filling current knowledge gaps in smart territorial management, with a focus on attractiveness and sustainability. It also aims to provide innovative conceptual frameworks and relevant case studies, while encouraging interdisciplinary research in this crucial area for the future of territories.
Our objectives include::
→ Deepen the theoretical understanding of the concept of "Territorial Smart Management" and its role in promoting the attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion of territories.
→ Explore the implications and challenges of integrating emerging technologies (artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, blockchain, etc.) into territorial management processes.
→ Develop conceptual frameworks and analytical models to assess the impact of smart management on the attractiveness, sustainability and inclusion performance of territories.
→ Encourage interdisciplinary dialogue and foster collaborations between researchers from different disciplines such as management, economics, sociology, environmental sciences and information sciences.
→ Stimulate new avenues of research on ethical, legal and societal issues related to the implementation of Territorial Smart Management.
For professionals and actors in the local development ecosystem, the objective of the book is to provide practical tools, strategic insights and best practices to improve the management of territories by leveraging smart approaches to enhance their attractiveness and sustainability. Efforts include:
→ The presentation of inspiring case studies and concrete examples of good practices of Territorial Smart Management promoting attractiveness, sustainability and socio-economic inclusion.
→ The proposal of practical recommendations and guidelines for the successful adoption and implementation of smart management solutions in different territorial contexts.
→ Awareness of the potential benefits of smart management to improve operational efficiency, economic competitiveness, quality of life and resilience of territories.
→ Exploring collaborative governance models, innovative financing mechanisms and territorial marketing strategies needed to support the transition to smart and sustainable territories.
→ The encouragement of more concerted and transversal approaches involving the different actors of the local ecosystem (policy makers, companies, citizens, academics) to co-construct Smart Management solutions adapted to the specific needs of smart and sustainable territories.
Target Audience
The target audience for this book includes:
→ Researchers and academics specializing in the fields of territorial smart management, as well as in other related disciplines such as governance and territorial marketing, urban planning, geography, economics, management, sociology, political and legal sciences, computer and data science, environmental studies, and other relevant fields.
→ Consultants and practitioners working in local governments, governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as private companies involved in the management and development of territories.
→ Technology developers working on digital solutions applied to sustainable territorial management, such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, blockchain, etc.
→ Policy makers and urban planners seeking to understand the implications of new technologies and innovative approaches for territorial management.
→ Students in urban studies, territorial development, legal, economic and social sciences, management, computer engineering and related fields, seeking to deepen their understanding of contemporary issues related to territorial management.
The call will be available, through specific professional networks, national and international conferences and symposia, research groups, website announcements, list servers, social media and other venues.