SMART CITIES IN EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION: OUTLOOK FOR RUSSIAN REGIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP

Smart Cities have been in the focus of scientific community, states, and city authorities for over decade now. Unprecedented urbanization rates are forcing governments to think about how to provide comfortable and safe living in high population density regions. Our research shows that this subject is making its way to priority matter of regional integration associations around the globe. For instance, the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are already implementing joint projects and initiatives in the field of smart cities. It is expected that due to the development of the digital agenda of the Eurasian Economic Union smart cities will be discussed within the EAEU. Regarding these trends, the authors raise a research question whether Russia, taking advantage of such strategic advantages as geographical remoteness from global innovation hubs, cultural and historical multidimensional ties, and relying on rich experience in the development of smart city technologies, can effectively compete with foreign technology suppliers and achieve technological leadership in the Eurasian region. We apply a comprehensive methodology based on the methods of Gartner, NASA and PM Solutions to derive the empirical data and evidence-based conclusions on market structure, industry and geographical breakdowns and evaluate Russia’s technological prospects in the region for the following decade.