Percepção dos cidadãos sobre cidades inteligentes : proposta e validação de uma escala baseada na norma ISO 37122

Abstract

Smart cities go far beyond the implementation of technologies: the exercise of citizenship and data management are vital factors for their development. Research focusing on the subjective dimension related to citizen perception supports that cognitive perception data deserve as much attention as those related to objective dimensions. Based on the perspective of "citizencentered" smart cities, the "knowledge-based development" theory, and the new revision of ISO 37122 "Sustainable Cities and Communities - Indicators for Smart Cities," the research problem is structured around the complexity involved in measuring city intelligence with citizen engagement. The overall objective of this study was to propose and validate a citizen perception scale regarding the dimensions of a smart city as established by ISO 37122. For this purpose, the 80 indicators of this standard, previously established by the Special Study Commission "Sustainable Cities and Communities," were reworded as statements to compose the perception scale. For instrument refinement, face validation was applied, followed by a pilot test. The questionnaire was administered to a sample of 528 individuals from the 32 cities of the Corede Serra region. Data collection was conducted through both printed and virtual instrument applications. The data underwent cleaning and verification of assumptions for multivariate analysis. Multivariate statistical techniques were employed for instrument validation, including tests of dimensionality and reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. These tests were applied to both the overall sample and, separately, to three city size categories, aiming for a deeper understanding of the scale's behavior in different contexts. The results were consistent and showed good statistical performance in most dimensions, suggesting that the proposed scale is a promising tool for evaluating the perception of smart cities. Variations in results were also observed among different tested samples, indicating the influence of contextual and demographic variables on smart city perception. Certain limitations were encountered, such as the reduced quantity of indicators proposed by ISO in some dimensions and citizens' lack of knowledge on the subject. Nevertheless, the potential of developing this scale for future studies was evident, ranging from basic descriptive statistics calculations to trend analyses, comparisons, correlations, and regressions for a better understanding of citizens' perception of their cities. This not only addresses the lack of studies involving the perception of those who are the primary beneficiaries and active users of cities but also aids in the development of public policies for innovation, strategic planning, master plan creation, future vision, and strategic specializations for smart cities. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]