Supportive Policies for the Development of Urban Smart Economy

Abstract

This study aims to identify and analyze supportive policies required for the development of the urban smart economy through a systematic review of scholarly and policy-based literature. This research employed a qualitative design using thematic analysis. Data were collected through a systematic literature review of academic and policy documents related to urban smart economy. Following an extensive search across major scientific databases, 17 relevant articles and policy papers were selected. Data were coded, categorized, and analyzed using NVivo 14. Analytical steps included extracting meaning units, open coding, forming subthemes, and synthesizing them into major themes. Analytical rigor was ensured through constant comparison, code refinement, and achieving theoretical saturation. The findings revealed that the development of an urban smart economy requires coordinated policies across four core domains: technological and infrastructural policies such as digital infrastructure expansion, data security, and technology standardization; economic and financial policies including innovation funding, tax incentives, and digital market development; governance and regulatory policies such as open data frameworks, citizen participation, digital trade laws, and data-driven governance; and social and human capacity-building policies including digital literacy development, digital equity, cultural adaptation, and digital entrepreneurship support. These results demonstrate that a sustainable smart economy emerges only when policies are designed holistically, multilayered, and data-driven. The study concludes that supportive policies for urban smart economy development must be implemented concurrently across infrastructural, economic, governance, and social dimensions. An integrated and data-oriented policy approach is essential for creating a dynamic, sustainable, and citizen-centered smart urban ecosystem.