Preliminary Proceedings of the 72nd International Academic Conference, Istanbul

BARRIERS AND ORGANISATIONAL READINESS FOR SMART CITY IMPLEMENTATION IN CZECH MUNICIPALITIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE CENTRAL BOHEMIAN REGION

KAREL BENDL

Abstract:

The paper assesses the current state of smart city implementation in municipalities of the Central Bohemian Region (Czech Republic), identifies the main barriers, the organisational arrangement and the information sources used by local governments, and proposes a framework for overcoming the identified weaknesses. The research combines a content analysis of strategic plans of 12 towns, a questionnaire survey among municipalities with extended powers (21 of 26, response rate 80.77%) and a SWOT analysis evaluated by IFE and EFE matrices. Only three of twelve towns integrate the smart city agenda systematically into strategic planning. The most serious barriers are the lack of financial resources (a very high barrier for 90.48% of respondents) and political disagreement (76.19%), followed by the lack of qualified staff and the complexity of technologies. In two thirds of municipalities, the agenda is handled within departments with other responsibilities, and 90.48% of responsible employees devote at most half of their working time to it. Municipalities draw inspiration predominantly from supplier offers (85.71%) and rarely use national methodologies, which indicates a supply-driven early stage of maturity and information asymmetry. The IFE score (1.65) reveals a weak internal position. Two measures are proposed: a Catalogue of Smart Solutions for Cities and Regions and a Smart City Management Centre that would professionalise the agenda and ensure its continuity across electoral cycles.

Keywords: Smart City, Local Government, Implementation Barriers, Digital Transformation, Public Administration, SWOT Analysis, IFE/EFE Matrix

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2026.072.016

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