Date

10-16-2025

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (PhD)

Chair

George Richard Austin

Keywords

smart city initiatives, perception, citizens, public administrators, agency theory, post-progressive public administration theory, technology, communication

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

The purpose of this case study will be to solve the problem of agency costs in three of Virginia’s largest Smart Cities and to formulate a solution for public administrators to implement during smart city development. This case study contributes to existing public administration knowledge by expanding upon post-progressive public administration theory by acknowledging the preferences of public administrators and the role those preferences play in the adoption of SCI priorities. While scholarly literature increasingly insists that the preferences of citizens drive SCI, this clashes with the post-progressive public administration theory proposed by Miller (1994) which acknowledges the influence of public administrators over policy. Divergences in the preferences of citizens and the priorities of public administrators are best described by agency theory, which declares that the inherently tense relationship between agent and principle leads to waste, or agency cost, which cities may be unable to afford. Data will be collected from a qualitative approach, including semi-structured interviews with public administrators in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Richmond, Virginia to examine their SCI priorities, surveys of citizens in each city, and a review of municipal documents. The findings will assist city governments develop their Smart Cities in ways that genuinely prioritize the desires of citizens and improve their quality of life, thereby increasing citizen satisfaction and ensuring a satisfactory return on investment.

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