Governance mechanism of public-private partnerships for promoting smart city performance: A multi-case study in China

Smart city initiatives have emerged as a global strategy for addressing the significant challenges posed by urbanization. Due to the technical limitations and financial constraints of developing smart cities, many governments have adopted public-private partnerships (PPPs) model. However, selecting appropriate governance mechanisms for PPPs is crucial to minimize risks inherent to transactions between public and private sectors and, ultimately, to enhance smart city performance; these mechanisms are not currently well-understood. In this study, we conducted a multiple-case analysis of three smart city projects in China using an exploratory case study methodology. Through interviews, we identified two key aspects of smart city performance and four effective PPP governance mechanisms that improve this performance. We also established a theoretical model for exploring the relationships between these aspects and mechanisms. Our findings provide empirical support for evaluating smart cities and offer theoretical insights into how PPP governance mechanisms can impact smart city performance. This research also may provide practical guidance for selecting the most effective PPP governance mechanisms in smart city projects.