Smart Local Governance: The Case of the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area in Poland

ABSTRACT The aim of the study is to recognize the understanding and implementation of the smart city concept by local governments in the Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot Metropolitan Area in the north of Poland. Therefore, the authors examined local governments’ interest in “smart” strategy and identified human- and technology-oriented initiatives. In order to achieve the research aim, a survey with representatives of local governments and a content analysis of strategic documents were conducted. The results show that core cities of the metropolitan area try to be initiators of smart urban life while many other municipalities are not very active in this area. Most of the smart city initiatives referred to hard infrastructure, and only a portion of them are oriented toward improving human capital.