Research Trends in Governance Related to Smart Cities
Research Trends in Governance Related to Smart Cities

Summary/Abstract: Governance has become a key component in the development of smart cities, as highlighted in prior studies addressing citizen participation, public service delivery, sustainability, and the integration of emerging digital technologies. However, the rapid growth of this research field has generated a fragmented body of knowledge, limiting a comprehensive understanding of its main trends and future directions. This study examines how scientific research on governance in smart cities has evolved over time, identifies leading contributors and thematic structures, and explores emerging research priorities. It is assumed that scholarly output in this field has increased steadily and that research has progressively shifted toward governance approaches focused on public services, citizen engagement, and data-driven technologies. A non-experimental bibliometric analysis was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, using publications indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. Descriptive indicators and network visualization techniques were applied to analyze publication trends, thematic evolution, and keyword co-occurrence. The findings indicate a sustained growth in academic interest and a consolidation of research around themes such as smart city management, sustainability, public services, citizen participation, and Artificial Intelligence, while highlighting emerging topics that define future research opportunities.

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