Document Type : Applied Articale
Authors
Department of Geography, Faculty of Humanities, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran
Abstract
With the expansion of urbanization and the intensification of environmental hazards, urban resilience has emerged as a key strategy for crisis management and sustainable urban development. At the same time, the concept of the smart city, grounded in advanced technologies, offers a promising framework for enhancing resilience against both natural and human-made risks. This study aims to analyze the role of smart city components in improving urban resilience in the city of Zanjan. The research adopts a mixed-methods approach. In the qualitative phase, key components were identified through theoretical analysis and validated using the Delphi method. In the quantitative phase, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted using PLS software to examine the impact of the identified components on urban resilience. The results indicate that all dimensions of the smart city exert a significant and positive influence on urban resilience. Among them, smart transportation, data management and analytics, and smart infrastructure had the most substantial effects. The overall coefficient of the smart city's impact on urban resilience was calculated at 0.8846, highlighting the strong potential of this variable in enhancing Zanjan’s resilience capacity. Therefore, the findings underscore the importance of integrating advanced technologies into the policy and development programs of Zanjan, suggesting that the smart city can play a crucial role in shaping a resilient, adaptive, and sustainable urban future.
Introduction
In the contemporary era, alongside the accelerating trend of urbanization and the intensification of climatic hazards, cities face increasingly complex challenges in sustainability and crisis management. Zanjan, as one of Iran’s developing urban centers, is no exception and contends with issues such as flash floods, drought, land subsidence, and weaknesses in smart infrastructure. Under such circumstances, the concept of “urban resilience,” which entails a city’s capacity to confront, adapt to, and recover from crises, gains heightened importance. In this context, the emerging paradigm of the “smart city,” leveraging technologies such as the Internet of Things, big data, artificial intelligence, and advanced communication infrastructures, has been introduced as an effective tool to enhance urban resilience. The present study aims to investigate and elucidate the role of smart city components in strengthening the various dimensions of urban resilience in Zanjan against environmental hazards.
Material and Methods
This study adopts an applied research design with a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach. In the qualitative phase, through a review of theoretical and empirical foundations, the relevant components and subcomponents related to smart cities and urban resilience were identified. Subsequently, in the quantitative phase, to measure expert opinions and build consensus on selected indicators, a two-round Delphi method was employed with the participation of 35 specialists. For data analysis, statistical tests including mean, standard deviation, Kendall’s coefficient of concordance, and Chi-square test were applied. Furthermore, to evaluate the conceptual framework of the study and examine causal relationships among variables, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were utilized. The reliability of the questionnaires was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients exceeding 0.7, and model fit was validated using indices such as SRMR, NFI, and d_ULS.
Results and Discussion
The findings indicated that out of an initial 48 indicators, 42 were confirmed by expert consensus and incorporated into subsequent analyses. In the factor analysis, all items exhibited factor loadings above 0.7, demonstrating the model’s high structural validity. Various smart city components) including smart transportation, data management and analytics, smart community, smart infrastructure, smart crisis management, and smart economy(each showed significant positive effects on different dimensions of urban resilience. Path analysis revealed that the greatest direct effect belonged to the smart transportation component with a path coefficient of 0.349 and a t-value of 8.64. This was followed by data management and analytics (β = 0.3081), smart community (β = 0.1855), smart crisis management (β = 0.1892), smart infrastructure (β = 0.1789), and smart economy (β = 0.1740), all of which had meaningful impacts on urban resilience. Overall, the total effect coefficient of the smart city on the resilience of Zanjan city was calculated as 0.8846, indicating a strong and direct relationship between these variables. The four dimensions of urban resilience) social, economic, institutional, and infrastructural (were well explained by the smart city components. Smart infrastructure played a crucial role in enhancing the city’s physical robustness; smart community contributed to raising awareness, participation, and digital literacy among citizens; smart data management and analytics optimized institutional decision-making; and the smart economy supported the city’s economic sustainability during crises. These results underscore that institutionalizing smart technologies within Zanjan’s urban structures can significantly improve the city’s resilience against environmental threats.
Conclusions
In summary, the study’s findings emphasize that urban development in the twenty-first century necessitates the intelligent integration of technology with sustainable governance. The results of this research can serve as a practical model for policymakers, urban planners, and crisis managers aiming to enhance urban resilience by leveraging smart city capacities. It is also recommended to take effective steps toward transforming Zanjan into a resilient and smart city through the expansion of digital infrastructure, enhancement of data literacy, and strengthening of a knowledge-based economy. Continuation of this trajectory requires multi-sectoral collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, universities, and civil society to prepare adequately for complex and forthcoming challenges.
Acknowledgements
With utmost respect and gratitude, I consider it my duty to thank and appreciate all the individuals who assisted me in conducting this research. Undoubtedly, this research would not have been completed without the support and guidance of esteemed professors, caring friends, and my respected family. Their constructive guidance and critiques played an effective role in improving the quality of this research. I also sincerely appreciate the institutions and organizations that provided the necessary data and information, thereby creating the necessary environment for a more accurate research process. I wish increasing success for all dear ones from the Almighty God.
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