Governance Mechanism of Public-Private Partnerships for Promoting Smart City Performance: A Multi-case Study in China.

Smart city initiatives have evolved into a global movement that is expected to address the severe challenges introduced by urbanization. Most governments adopt a model involving public-private partnerships (PPPs) to advance smart cities because of the lack of associated technical capacity and financial burden. However, with PPPs, it is necessary to choose which governance mechanisms should be adopted to mitigate transaction risks between public and private sectors and promote smart city performance; this is a current knowledge gap. Herein, we conducted a multiple-case study of three smart city projects in China by applying an exploratory case study methodology. Based on an analysis of case interview data, we identified two key aspects of smart city performance and four effective governance mechanisms of PPPs that promote smart city performance. We also discuss theoretical propositions on the relationship between them. The findings presented herein determine scientifically tested aspects for evaluating smart cities and provide guidance for the establishment of PPPs governance mechanisms in smart city projects.