Open Strategy in a Smart City

Abstract

To attract new companies and a talented workforce in a way that increases income streams, cities are searching for strategic capabilities by using a variety of strategic practices. The present study participates in the theoretical debate between micro- and macro-strategizing by focusing on the interplay between the city organization and its institutional environment. As such, the study elucidates the open strategy process used in the strategy work of a medium-sized city in Finland. To make the strategy work open and encourage citizens’ participation, the city decided to utilize crowdsourcing as a tool that was part of a broader strategy process to develop a city strategy in a participative manner. The present study analyzes the responses of almost 2000 citizens who addressed the role of an open strategy in developing a smart city. The study contributes by depicting how the open strategy was utilized in practice and what types of outcomes it produced.