Urenio Watch Watch: Business Models

Forrester Research on Smart Cities

The report “Getting Clever About Smart Cities: New Opportunities Require New Business Models’, from Forrester Research explores the role the information and communications technology (ICT) will play in creating the foundation for smart cities ‘” whether those cities are newer communities being built from scratch or centuries-old metropolises.

Forrester defines the smart city as:

A “city’ that uses information and communications technologies to make the critical infrastructure components and services of a city ‘” administration, education, healthcare, public safety, real estate, transportation, and utilities’” more aware, interactive, and efficient.

Executive Summary

Population growth and urbanization are stretching many cities’ infrastructure and resources to breaking point. Policymakers and public leaders are increasingly looking to ICT solutions to effectively provide public services like education, healthcare, safety, transportation, and utilities. At the same time, municipal bankruptcies and public-sector financial crises create a gap between the ends required and the means to get there. Public-sector IT leaders are less optimistic about the outlook for their sector than those in other industries. Yet, they do report plans to increase spending for certain hardware and software categories, particularly industry-specific applications and networking equipment that underpin smart city initiatives. Demand from local governments, along with similar conglomerations like universities and company towns, will drive incremental opportunities for ICT suppliers in the coming years. To capitalize on these opportunities, vendor strategists must partner with urban leaders, providing guidance not only on the technology solutions and services but also on the business models and delivery options that will ensure the long-term viability of smart city projects.

Table of contents

  • Urban Demographics Require New Approaches To Public Services
  • The Smart City ‘” A Framework For Addressing Global Issues Locally
  • The Smart City Opportunity For Tech Vendors’ Services And Products
  • Smart City Solutions Must Start With The “City,” Not The “Smart”
  • Recommendations
    • There’s No Crash Course To Becoming A Smarter City
    • Supplemental Material
    • Related Research Documents

More Info

Getting Clever About Smart Cities: New Opportunities Require New Business Models, by Jennifer Belissent, Ph.D.