Suchergebnisse

This article opens a general discussion about the concept of the 'smart city' and how it can be understood in the context of urban affairs. Furthermore, it discusses the problems of conceptualisation and operationalisation of smart city projects in Azerbaijan and elsewhere, and the ways in which they can lead to project failure. The article also addresses the problems of implementation of the smart city concept in the country and discusses how to adapt general visions and global aspirations for smart and sustainable cities to the Azerbaijani context. Furthermore, the author suggests which metrics and policy domains the authorities should consider when translating the smart city visions into policy. He discusses the preconditions for success, and whether Azerbaijan has the necessary infrastructure and specialists for its implementation.

Baku's post-Soviet development has been marked by massive deindustrialization, gentrification of the city core, and commercialization of the downtown area. The oil boom brought not only relative economic prosperity but also a new vision of urban development. In their quest to make Baku the leading city in the region, urban administrators have chosen Dubai as a model of development. A decade of emulating Dubai's success has shown that despite the fact that Baku employed the right strategies, many factors prevented Azerbaijan's capital to reach the same level of development as Dubai.