Community Participation Mechanisms in Smart City Construction: A Study of the Asia - Pacific Region

Abstract

Smart city construction in the Asia - Pacific region has traditionally focused on technological deployment, with limited attention to community participation—a key factor in ensuring smart solutions align with residents’ needs. This paper examines community participation mechanisms in 15 smart city projects across 10 Asia - Pacific countries, classifying participation models into "consultative," "collaborative," and "co - creative" types. Through mixed - methods research (surveys, interviews, document analysis), the study finds that co - creative models, which integrate community input into all stages of smart project development, achieve higher resident satisfaction (82% vs. 56% for consultative models) and long - term project sustainability. However, barriers such as unequal access to participation channels, low digital literacy, and weak institutional support hinder effective community engagement. The paper proposes targeted strategies, including participatory digital platforms, capacity - building programs, and legal frameworks for community representation, to enhance inclusive participation in smart city construction.

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