International Promotion Patterns in the Smart City Literature: Exploring the Role of Geography in Affecting Local Drivers and Smart Cities’ Outcomes

The rise of smart cities is a significant trend in urban development. However, only in recent years has the focus on the international promotion of these cities become prominent. Despite ongoing academic discussions on the impact of smart city development on urban environments, the global recognition of smart cities is uncertain due to their multidisciplinary nature. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of articles published in top-tier peer-reviewed journals from 2008 to December 2021, providing a comprehensive analysis of existing literature. Specifically, by focusing on the influence of geographical location on cities’ international promotion strategies, we highlight the local drivers and the outcomes of smart cities’ urban trajectories in different geographical contexts. The paper concludes with a conceptual model aiming to contribute to smart city debates by providing further evidence of the role of geographical location in smart city trajectories.