https://indify.co/widgets/live/quotes/hwP6ajJchIIalfbKo0LZ
<aside> <img src="/icons/chat-user_gray.svg" alt="/icons/chat-user_gray.svg" width="40px" />
</aside>
Abstract—The global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digital transformation. During this period, before mass vaccination, it has also transformed cities into “smart” digital/virtual hubs but to respond to the increasing global challenges, the adaptation of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has become a popular topic and receiving attention from the public and academic sectors to ensure the sustainable development of the smart city during the digital transformation. Being a useful lens through which to view our social impact efforts and to tackle the global challenges, this paper adopts the SWOT-AHP method to review the digital transformation impact on the smart city in relation to the SDG 8-”Decent work and economy growth”, SDG 9-”Industry, innovation, and infrastructure”, and SDG 11-”Sustainable cities and communities”. This paper focuses on evaluating the potential and robustness of the digital transformation impact on smart cities by targeting the ‘Strengths’ and ‘Opportunities’ for the AHP pairwise comparison. After conducting the pairwise comparison between five strength factors and five opportunity factors, by correlating the results towards the three SDGs targets, the future development of the smart cities as well as their transformation of digital infrastructures are ensured in term of decent works, innovative, and sustaining in building resilience cities and communities
Keywords—digital transformation, smart city, sustainable development goals, SWOT-AHP
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the transformation of cities into "smart" digital hubs and has marked the beginning of a critical decade. Hence, in progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the smart city concept will develop the transformation of cities and digital infrastructure. Besides, the idea of a smart city, which involves the use of technology and citizen participation in urban development to promote sustainability, has been widely researched and implemented in various contexts. Yet, there is a need to enable system alignment and data integration to deploy the city development sectors [1] and a sustainable development strategy that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to realize the potential of smart cities fully.
Accordingly, this research attempts to address the research question of “How to analyze a sufficient integration of digital transformation and particularly sustainable development goals into the future smart city.” Therefore, this research aims to figure out the proper strategies for migrating to the acceptable future smart cities, discuss the potential effects of digital transformation on the sustainable development goals, particularly those related to smart cities, specifically SDGs 8, 9, and 11, and rank them in order of importance. In particular, the concept of a smart city has explored inclusive urban transformation and public value [2]. Thus, the urge of adopting the smart city reflects the desire to create a probable city that accommodates the well-being and rights of the industry, urban planning, environment, and sustainable development [3]. This research also looks for the influential factor of the smart city strategy-making analysis, incorporating the internal and external factors involved in the topic assigned.
The research addresses the process of initiating the literature and related studies to reinforce the knowledge in examining the three factors incorporated as digital transformation, sustainable development goals, and smart city. In the following stage, SWOT-AHP is recognized to define the positive and negative factors that might be consolidated in the development of a smart city. However, this research states the scope of the research into the usage of the strength and opportunity with the goals of analyzing the innovative solutions that can be provided together with the hierarchical level classification. In the end, the overall smart city comprehension in this study gives the insight to ensure the internal and external factors to be implemented in the multivarious domains as the initial stage of adopting smart city in the research.
The future sustainable concept is being improved to cover the issues in both quality of life and sustainable solutions. To implement the future sustainability smart cities’ concept, the stakeholders' role an essential key player to bring up the sustainable solutions with the related-technologies. Moreover, the prominent technologies adaptation that serve the best answers to guide this topic are the IoT and Blockchain [4]. The research also uncovered the theoretical support for a sustainable smart city that distinguished the smart city distributions within nine components such as Smart Governance, Smart HealthCare, Smart Transportation, Smart Water Management. Renewable Energy, Smart Agriculture, Smart Waste Management, Smart Connectivity, and Smart Building. With the related topic, Shruti et al. [5] developed a web-based environmental decision support system for integrating the usage of ICT to deliver environmental sustainability in India. Based on the software developed in this research, potential enhanced-measurement is suggested to improve the environmental sustainability in acceptable and detailed performance. However, due to the infancy stage of incorporating the sustainable development goals (SDGs) application to the smart city [6], it needs to be further examined that each domain still works as an independent conception rather than the holistic system in the smart sustainable city. Therefore, in reflecting Blasi et al. conditions, the development of smart city together with the implication of the SDGs need to be proposed in the steady interaction. The digital transformation in communicating the smart organization and a smart city should be following some certain methods such as informing, dialogue, studying opinions, goals and interests, joint activities, etc [7]. According to Larrinaga et al., [8] with the growth of population, standardization of the integrating application is needed. Therefore, the research took a case study of the Victoria-Gateiz in Spain to serve a various urban planning measurement applied in the city that also integrates heterogeneous data. Providing the holistic finding, this research uncovered the challenges of the digital transformation in the urban city to manage the appropriate data involved for the service domain applied. The successful key of adopting the digital transformation in the smart city involves a comprehensive approach for combining many viewpoints of resources, capabilities, and capacities of understanding the sustainable development strategies using technological tools in the smart city [9]. Maintaining the Integrity of the Specifications
Particular characteristics, weaknesses, and comparative advantages should be considered to reflect on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda. SDGs, which is also known as the Agenda 2030, composed of 17 goals, 169 targets, and 304 indicators to improve environmental, social and human developmental objectives (United Nations, 2020). In order to clarify the relationship between smart cities and sustainable urban development and the role of digital transformation technologies in achieving sustainability goals, it is mandatory to review the role technology may play in the successful implementation and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, such as SDGs 8, 9, and 11. Multiple studies have highlighted the extensive use of smart technologies and the role of citizens in the future urban transformations [10]–[14]. Additionally, more attention is growing towards a cross-sector of sustainable strategies modeling and the potential of multiple values for smart city development [15], [16]. The most effective way in achieving sustainable strategies are those with disruptive technologies but need an investigation on how they can aid in achieving development goals in a shorter span [6], [17].
Technological progress is key to finding lasting solutions to both economic and environmental challenges. [18]. The role that technology may play to the successful implementation are different to achieve certain SDGs. Even though digital technologies are the primary enablers, other factors have also driven digital transformation such as the socio-cultural and inclusiveness of urban development [2]. In addition, adoption rate of digital transformation technologies is subject to factors such as data availability, economic growth for SDG 8, digital revolution based on the scenarios such as COVID-19 for SDG 9, and adoption of holistic approaches of sustainable urban development for SDG 11 [15], [17], [19]. Technology can help SDG 8 by providing new tools to help workers access jobs and increase their productivity. For instance, robotics automation processes and AI-enabled applications help increase productivity and management while mobile technology enables the inclusion of hard-to-reach cities in rural areas [20], [21]. On the other hand, the whole SDGs only have two brief direct references to the digital revolution, while SDG 9 is a broader goal compared to the others [15].
With the convergence of new developments and new applications of existing technologies, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Machine Learning, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and the Internet of Things (IoT) will eventually be dominant factors in the economy and society. However, most of the SDGs overlook the great potential of digital technology to contribute to sustainable development initiatives and that technology such as ICTs become separate goals rather than the main catalyst for achieving [15]. SDG 9 which focuses on creating resilient and sustainable infrastructure and industry, and promoting innovation (United Nations, 2020) [22] is also creating the challenge for science, technology and innovation policies for innovative systems at different levels from national to international [23]. In this regard, to accelerate SDG 9 in the smart city context, it requires the incorporation of innovation theory and government sectors to effectively build infrastructure projects that foster innovation and industrialization [24].
The same approach should also be applied to exploit the participatory nature of smart cities and swiftly achieve SDG 11 [25]. SDG 11 represents a general framework promoting sustainable urban development. Future challenges of the digital transformation and smart city are expected to be addressed through the adoption of holistic human-centered approaches. These approaches should address certain issues such as data availability and crowdsourcing platforms to support the participatory [26], establishment of green smart buildings [27] under climate change conditions, and the establishment of resilient buildings in the least developed countries. Smart cities constitute the ideal pattern of urban development that may boost the implementation and successful accomplishment of SDG 11 priorities [26], [28]. Overall, the application of new technologies proactively contribute to services and provide forecasts that enhance proactive planning in the smart city [27].
A key theme of the Sustainable Development Goals is the synergy between economy, environment, and society. In the pursuit of sustainable smart cities, every citizen benefits from the impacts of productive dynamics of the city, public welfare, and ensures social stability. The sustainable city concept aims to define many different needs of a city from a macro perspective and that the smart city can become catalyst for social entrepreneurship, boost innovation through collaborative communities, reduce unemployment by providing more job opportunities, increase energy efficiency, optimize logistic distribution through data integration, and waste management through smart decision making (Cagáňová et al., 2017; Wang et al., 2021; Škultéty et al., 2021; Popova et al., 2021). There should be more initiatives to achieve the sustainable smart city and review the social impacts of digital transformation in relation to the SDGs of 8, 9 ,and 11. Thus, this paper implements SWOT-AHP to indicate the internal and external factors from a macro perspective, evaluate the ranking of the ‘Strengths’ and ‘Opportunities’ with AHP to identify the potential and possibilities of digital transformation in the smart context, and finally compare the result in line with the SDGs 8, 9 , and 11. Figure 1 present the research flows of the current study:
Fig. 1. Research flow
Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) analysis has been used as a strategic approach to identify breaches or gaps between the existing resources and preconditions of smart city transformation in order to strategize the transformation scenario better. (Halepoto et al., 2015). An alternative to SWOT could be PEST (Political - Economics - Social - Technological). However PEST is more directly aimed towards the external macro environmental factors that might be affecting the scenario planning, one of the reasons behind growth and decline to identify new directions. Figure 2 presents the SWOT analysis of digital transformation in the smart cities.
Fig. 2. SWOT analysis of the digital transformation in the smart cities
In the ‘Strengths’, by using digital technologies to automate processes, access real-time data, and facilitate digital communication with the public, cities can enhance the performance and effectiveness of their services. Additionally, digital transformation offers citizens of the smart cities the access to innovative technologies, such as smart transportation systems and convenient online services that help to enhance the citizen’s quality of life. Nevertheless, from the SDGs, it is crucial for smart cities to promote the use of renewable energy sources, decreasing waste, and optimizing resource management. Digital transformation in this regard could assist the future cities to be green-friendly and environmentally sustainable. Additionally, seven items are extracted from the ‘Strengths’:
The negative aspects of the digital transformation in the smart city with the SDGs are defined in ‘Weaknesses’. It is identified that cost-efficient implementation for advanced technologies may affect the development of cities that do not possess necessary foundation, infrastructure or resources. Moreover, digital security would become a new concern due to potential security threats of interconnected cities systems as well as the risk of cyber attacks. There is also the possibility of a digital divide, where some residents may not have the access or proficiency with technology needed to fully engage in a digitally transformed city. Five items are identified from the weaknesses:
Despite the weaknesses, the digital transformation also creates new economic opportunities by attracting jobs, businesses and promoting innovation. For instance, it creates opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of city services, which lead to economical and the improving of the quality of life for citizens. Furthermore, it enables smart cities to better respond to the citizens’ demands and requirements, by providing more personalized services and engagement with digital channels. Still, opportunities also come with threats. Automation technology such as AI and robots may impact the loss of job conditions, although it can also lead to the creation of new jobs in areas like data analysis and digital service design. Over-relying on technology is also another issue in the digital transformation, which can make the citizens vulnerable to technical failures or cyber attacks as defined in weaknesses, which could affect the smart city digital transformation resilience. Lastly, personal privacy could be compromised as more data is gathered and shared digitally.Seven opportunities and four threats are identified:
The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) has particular application in group decision making and is used in a wide variety of decision situations. The process of AHP involves the pairwise comparison between multiple factors in a hierarchy system to identify more prioritization between two points of data to seek out the optimal results. Within the scope of SDG development which involves many outcome targets and means of achieving, it requires a better strategy to evaluate the key focus of digital transformation ‘Strengths’ and ‘Opportunities’ that it could bring to produce comprehensive comparative results among key factors that are involved within SDGs development criteria. A SWOT-AHP has been proven to be beneficial in performing cross evaluation. In strategy development, SWOT-AHP can assess sustainable planning, such as sustainable manufacturing [29], sustainable energy planning [30], sustainable tourism development strategies [31] or urban strategic planning and policy making such as strategic planning and urban development for Urmia city [32] and urban policy making for developing city [33]. Overall, AHP is suitable for evaluating prioritization of digital transformation impacts in the smart city context before referring to SDGs 8, 9 , and 11 alternatives. Figure 3 presents the hierarchy of the potential and robustness of digital transformation in the smart city:
Fig. 3. Multi hierarchy of the potential and robustness of digital transformation in the smart city
According to Dr Saaty (2004), the next step in the AHP evaluation involves a special type of survey to conduct the pairwise comparison. Table 1 presents the fundamental of the scale to be conducted in the AHP survey pairwise comparison and Table 2 showcase the list of pairs for the pairwise comparison and how they are conducted:
| Numeric Values | Intensity of numeric variables |
|---|---|
| 1 | Equal importance |
| 3 | Moderate importance |
| 5 | Strong importance |
| 7 | Very strong importance |
| 9 | Extreme importance |
| 2, 4, 6 ,8 | Intermediate values between adjacent scale values |
TABLE 2. List of Pairs for Pairwise Comparison Based on the Defined Factors
Based on the factors defined from ‘Strengths’ and ‘Opportunities’, a 10 x 10 dimension of pairwise comparison is conducted as shown in Table 2. For factors of the same such as S1 and S1, it is regarded as 1. Thus, only 90 pairs are left to conduct the pairwise comparison. After the pairwise comparisons are collected, the results need to be updated in accordance to the consolidated number k participants:
After that, the priority vector of each factor can be calculated using the formula
Finally, the consistency of the measurement of the results from pairwise comparison in the AHP is determined by the Consistency Ratio (CR), which is identified by the formula:
After This paper aims to present a ranking of how digital transformation can impact the sustainable development goals. In addition, an inline comparison to the priority factors with SDG 8, 9, and 11 is provided to provide the insight for the digital transformation in the context of future sustainable smart cities. However, SDG 9 is dependent on the other SDGs, thus the AHP result will be compared with 8 and 11 first before finally integrating all with SDG 9. According to the United Nation (2020) [22], the contents of SDG 8, 9, and 11 are as follows:
SDG 8 is to: "Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all". There are 12 targets in total to be achieved by 2030 and that some have been achieved by 2020. The first ten targets are the outcome targets:
Among the first ten goals, “promote policies to support job creation and growing enterprises” and “improve resource efficiency in consumption and production” are the two key metrics that need priority attention to achieve SDG 8 in the digital transformation of the smart cities. Additionally, “promote youth employment” in relation to the other two targets of SDG 8, which are for "means of achieving" also require attention. The other two targets are: “increase aid for trade support”, “develop a global youth employment strategy” with focus on the global youth employment strategy is crucial. Digital transformation creates opportunities for most populations although the youth have more access to digital technology knowledge and technique.
Additionally, the content of SDG 11 is to: "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable". SDG 11 has ten targets to be achieved, with seven "outcome targets" and three “mean of achieving” which are: