A Hybrid Fuzzy MCDM Approach for Identifying and Prioritizing Barriers to Smart City Development

Abstract

Significant changes in our lifestyles prompt us to consider building more intelligent and sustainable cities. In both systematic research and international policy, the development of smart cities has gained popularity. Through a review of the literature and consultation with subject-matter experts, the study aims to identify the primary obstacles to achieving smart cities. Additionally, this study aimed to prioritize the challenges to the development of smart cities in the Western Balkans by identifying the most significant obstacle category and ranking specific issues within each category. The Fourth Industrial Revolution and digitization serve as the cornerstones for all planned initiatives in urban environment management, encompassing its various sectors and infrastructure. Fuzzy logic techniques, such as the triangular and trapezoidal fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and triangular and trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy sets (IT2FS), have been employed in multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) to identify important indicators relevant to the development of a smart city. Six categories of criteria and a large number of sub-criteria have been used to determine the key indicators, which include the development of a legislative and strategic framework for the Smart City platform, its implementation in the post-COVID-19 era, and the standardization of ICT and ICT management. The findings identify key obstacles and strategic priorities that can inform the shift to smarter and more sustainable urban environments, providing policymakers and urban planners with valuable insights.