Depicting a conceptual framework for Smart City

The vibrant scenario in which companies, organizations, and institutions daily interact is underlying the increasing relevance and opportunities offered by the information and communication technologies. The world in which we live is progressively becoming a digital ecosystem in which all the interactions, relationships, and exchanges are supported by technological instruments and platforms. In this emerging scenario the topic of Smart City is attracting a prominent interest of researchers and practitioners. The general approach to the Smart City as instruments to connect users, infrastructures, and services by using the information technologies is producing several research questions with references to the relationships among technologies, environment, and users in the next years. In order to enrich previous knowledge on this topic, the paper adopts a qualitative approach to define a wider conceptual framework for Smart Cities. The principal aim is to support both researchers and practitioners in better understand and manage the emerging smart and digital environment.