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Jacek Mikucki*
Managing future cities: media and
information and communication
technologies in the context of change
https://doi.org/10.1515/omgc-2022-0065
Received January 8, 2023; accepted June 1, 2023
Abstract
Purpose: The goal of this paper is to examine the usage of information technologies
and media in two European case studies –Berlin and Warsaw. Findings from the
research can be used to create urban policies and media infrastructure design,
based on the different strategies of two European cities. Berlin and Warsaw have
taken different paths in implementing the smart city concept, adapting the idea
to their economic, historical, and social realities. Media are understood here as
human-machine and machine-machine communications, and also in terms of both
physical and digital media infrastructure.
Methodology: The research aims at examining strategies and institutions (both pri-
vate and public) in light of the practical implementation of smart solutions by City Hall
authorities. The study combines analysis of grey literature (news reports, corporate
strategies, City Hall documentation) with qualitative research: 30 semi-structured in-
terviews conducted with local municipalities and city planners in both cities.
Findings: Findings are likely to provide evidence potential drivers and barriers to
the implementation of smart city solutions. The results provide evidence that media
and information technologies in the city are implemented due to the data policies of
entities that usually implement smart city strategy independently. The task of city
authorities is to guarantee access to basic infrastructure, which is the basis for
creating other solutions by private entities.
Practical implications: The empirical research is likely to provide evidence that
Berlin and Warsaw have not yet fully appreciated the solutions based on commu-
nication between machines, but there is increasing use of ‘ad hoc’solutions.
Social implications: This study may be used as a source of information for smart city
managers, media infrastructure, and urban strategy with a focus on residents and
Article Note: This article underwent double-blind peer review.
*Corresponding author: Jacek Mikucki, University of Warsaw, Warszawa, 00-312, Poland,
E-mail: j.mikucki@uw.edu.pl. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1713-6356
Online Media Glob. Commun. 2023; 2(2): 170–198
Open Access. © 2023 the author(s), published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
information and communication technologies. Findings are addressed to media and
urban experts and scholars, as well as sociologists, political scientists, engineers, ICT
specialists, policy-makers, city managers and citizens.
Value: The study shows the growing importance of mobile devices, media-like
services and ICT have resulted in changes in City Hall’s development strategies and
new theoretical approaches through which the cities might be analysed. This study
finds that networks, platforms and media infrastructure have been used to describe
new ways of communication between city authorities, citizens and machines. It has
been argued that fostering an advanced media infrastructure (soft and hard) has the
potential to create “The Future City”.
Keywords: media in smart city; media infrastructure; smart city; smart city strategy
1 Introduction
It is estimated that over 55 % of the world’s population lives in cities, and this figure
will rise to 68 % by 2050 (United Nations 2018). The growing number of city dwellers,
together with the progressing changes in the social, cultural, and technological
spheres, is a challenge for local government structures that are striving for
sustainable development, such as in the sphere of innovation, economics or
providing all residents with access to education and health services. The activities of
local authorities are also focused on the integration of the population, especially
because of ethnic, religious, linguistic, and socio-economic diversity. Besides,
representatives of towns and cities work for the safety of the inhabitants and
environmental protection. Local authorities facilitate the inhabitants’access to
public services (offices, public transport, etc.), which is to improve the functioning of
people in the urban structure. Media and information technologies play an essential
role in a modern city. They allow for direct interaction of the authorities with the
inhabitants, as well as monitoring of current events. The above-mentioned actions,
as well as the selection of tools for their implementation, have their place in the
strategies and policies of local authorities. In the context of changing communication
models and the development of media and technology, the challenges posed to
modern cities are increasingly being analyzed based on the smart city concept.
Media and information and communication technologies (ICT) are changing
contemporary cities. With the fast-growing digital city layer, there is also a need to
build digital solutions and services not only for citizens but also for city authorities.
The potential of mobile communication, smartphones, geolocation, social media,
data, and machines has become a subject of the initiative by city authorities around
the world. Creating and developing infrastructure for communication and media is
Managing future cities: media and information 171
reflected in strategies and actions that are aimed at improving the lives of residents,
including communications, pro-ecological behavior, and public involvement in city
governance. Cities are driven by information and data; media are used to acquire,
process, and present them. In Europe –Stockholm, Hamburg, Vienna, Tallinn, and
Florence, take action to implement and develop smart city policies. In addition to this,
European institutions, such as the European Commission and the Organization for
Economic Co-operation and Development, encourage European regions and urban
agglomerations to become smart. Smart city means creating a friendly and citizen-
centered urban space. The media play the role of both the objective and the tools to
implement activities in areas such as innovation, education, economics, health care,
environmental protection, participation, lifestyle, and so on. The publication takes a
multidimensional view of the media –on the one hand, they are treated as resources/
tools (for the realization of the strategic goals of the smart city) and, on the other
hand, as objectives (one of the specific goals) of the smart city. The media are
understood as a channel and medium that uses information and communication
technologies to fulfill specific functions (Mikucki 2021).
Due to the multidimensionality of the smart city concept and contemporary
media definitions, as well as the multitude of contextual factors (international,
national, and local politics, as well as history, level of technological sophistication,
level of economic development, etc.), two European capitals were selected for the
case study. The decision to analyze the phenomenon in detail’based on the cases of
Berlin and Warsaw was influenced by:
(a) elements demonstrating similarities, including, in particular, the geographical
location (Central and Eastern Europe), history (contact with communism),
aspirations of Berlin and Warsaw regarding smart city development, the
presence of international companies and media groups, and the highest level of
smart city implementation on a national scale (both in the case of Germany and
Poland);
(b) elements indicative of differences, including in particular different levels of
governance (Germany as a federal state, Poland as a unitary state), differences
in a population level, differences in the level of technological advancement,
differences in the quality-of-life ranking;
(c) access to sources, including the possibility of conducting a detailed analysis of
the strategy and in-depth interviews with experts in both Berlin and Warsaw.
Berlin is the capital of Germany with a population of over 3.5 million, making it
Germany’s largest and one of Europe’s most populous cities. Berlin’s population is
expected to increase by 250,000 inhabitants by 2030. The city has undergone two
major phases of urban transformation: after 1945 and after 1990. Since the 1990
urban transformation, trillions of euros have been spent on merging the previously
172 Mikucki
divided Berlin, implementing large-scale urban renewal and development, and
thoroughly modernizing the infrastructure. Poland’s capital and thus its largest city
is Warsaw with almost 2 million inhabitants. Both cities suffered during the Second
World War –many buildings and roads were destroyed. This forced changes to the
cities’architecture and infrastructure but was influenced by the German and Polish
regimes of the time and the Marshall Plan, which defined the spheres of influence of
the USSR and Western countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Berlin, although was
half under the influence of the USSR, developed rapidly and dynamically, mainly due
to its access to resources and Western innovations. Warsaw, still more damaged than
Berlin after the Second World War, took a long time to rebuild and was dependent on
the Soviet Union until 1989.
Moreover, while Berlin and Warsaw see potential in modern communication
solutions, for various reasons do not invest in the development of media
infrastructure or do not yet see the benefits of using it. However, the implementation
of the concept is also influenced by other entities (companies, organizations, and
residents), which do not have to act exclusively based on a defined strategy. There is a
lot of theory-based research in urban media research, so there is a need for more
empirical research that identifies concrete action strategies, implementation
methods, or design layouts for urban media infrastructure. The author noticed a gap
in research in this area, especially in the dimension of systematic studies in Berlin
and Warsaw, so he decided to investigate smart city strategy in terms of the role and
use of media in the city. In addition, methodology and concepts are calling for more
follow-ups in different cities. Therefore, the study of selected European capitals can
add value to further research on cities both in Europe and worldwide.
The study combines analysis of grey literature (news reports, corporate strate-
gies, City Hall documentation) with qualitative research: 30 semi-structured
interviews (15 respondents in each city) conducted in 2017 (July-October) with
local municipalities and city planners in both cities. This was the time when these
interviews were conducted, and they were later coded and described. The research
material is part of a larger research project and some of the results have already been
disseminated and this article is the next stage of their publicity.
Findings are likely to provide evidence of potential drivers and barriers to the
implementation of smart city solutions. The qualitative research was based on an
interview scenario, which contained 19 questions. Representatives of municipal
authorities, consulting companies, and private and media organizations were
invited to participate in the study. The results of the research from the in-depth
interviews were coded according to the developed key concerning the repetitiveness
of emerging slogans and concepts –this action aimed to notice possible regularities
and verify the research hypothesis (Saldana 2016). The author developed the inter-
view questionnaire (in the Appendix) using the basic literature on qualitative
Managing future cities: media and information 173
research techniques, including, among others, the works of John W. Creswell (2013),
Matthew B. Miles, A. Michael Huberman, and Johnny Saldana (2014), as well as Lizzie
Jackson and MichałGłowacki (2019). The statements of individual respondents have
been marked with abbreviations and numbers accordingly: in the case of Berlin, it
is BLN (e.g., BLN 01), while in Warsaw, it is WAW (e.g., WAW 01). The interviews
were conducted by the author of this article in Polish for the Warsaw respondents
and in English for the Berlin specialists. The transcription of the interviews, their
translation, and coding were also done by the author.
The salient questions to be addressed are: In what ways do City Hall authorities
in Berlin and Warsaw approach change in smart city solutions? How do the smart
cities experts in Berlin and Warsaw see the future role of managing urban
communications? How these can be explained? And how universal they are?
The research hypothesis is that the use of media in smart city Berlin and smart
city Warsaw are highly related to practical implementation and the cultural societal
contexts, rather than specifically defined strategies.
2 Theoretical framework
To go forward to the creation of the future city it is necessary to implement the
strategy which drives to build the proper infrastructure and services. In the context
of changing communication models and the development of media and technology,
the challenges facing modern cities are increasingly being analyzed based on the
smart city concept. Understanding the concept of smart city requires a compre-
hension of the complexity and diversity of this phenomenon. It is extremely difficult
to compare the definitions of smart cities that have developed in recent years
(Dameri 2013; Winkowska et al. 2019). The concept of smart city has many meanings –
for this reason, it should be studied with many components (Gil-Garcia et al. 2015).
Doug Washburn, along with other researchers, claims that a smart city is based on
the use of so-called smart computing to make critical elements of the city’s
infrastructure and services –city administration, education, healthcare, public
safety, real estate, transportation, and utilities –more intelligent, interconnected,
and efficient (Washburn et al. 2010). Already in the first concepts of smart cities, the
importance to focus on the need to develop an appropriate ICT infrastructure as the
main factor leading to the dynamic development of cities was recognized (Caragliu
and Del Bo 2016). According to Ilaria Oberti and Angela Silvia Pavesi (2013), the
diffusion of mobile devices and the Internet in urban planning and the need to
protect the environment from pollution and excessive consumption has had an
impact on the spread of the smart city concept. Other researchers consider the
concept in terms of smartphones, mobile devices, sensors, and embedded systems
174 Mikucki
and notice its application in smart environments, smart meters, and smart hardware
that sustain the “intelligence”of the city (Schaffers et al. 2011).
Focusing on the communication aspect of smart cities, regular research is
conducted on the diverse role of media in the city (Georgiou 2013; Sharif and
Pokharel 2022) the role of social media in the city (Kowalik 2021) and even special
academic courses on media and innovation in smart cities are created. Interest in the
smart city concept is shown not only by academia but also by private sectors, for
example, companies such as Microsoft, IBM, or Cisco.
As noted by the research team led by Rudolf Giffinger, the term smart city is used
interchangeably to describe many aspects of the city –from information technology
to the level of education (smartness) of its inhabitants (Giffinger et al. 2007).
The authors listed six areas/objectives of smart city: economics, mobility, environ-
ment, people, life, and management. Each city may have a different understanding
of the objectives and the factors that may implement smart living differently,
depending on historical, geographical, economic, social, religious, and other condi-
tions. Whereas the six areas of smart city actions there can find different definitions
where the emphasis will be on individual actions.
Albert Meijer and Manuel Pedro Rodríguez Bolívar (2016) listed three types
of ‘ideal’definitions of the smart city to smart people, smart cooperation, and
smart technology. Taewoo Nam and Theresa A. Pardo (Nam and Theresa 2011) have
reached similar conclusions in their research. According to these authors, smart
cities form three dimensions respectively: people (creativity, diversity, and educa-
tion), institutions (governance and politics), and technologies (infrastructure, virtual
and mobile technologies). The graphical representation of the three dimensions of
smart city presents in Figure 1.
In terms of the human factor in smart cities, the focus is on citizens, and
investment in human capital is the main driver of urbanization processes. The city’s
policy is to focus on the creation of well-educated smart citizens. A well-educated
urban population will result in high-quality services and lifestyles (Florida 2012).
The institutional dimension of smart city involves a focus on governance
between the institutions and stakeholders, which can be private sector companies,
organizations, urban communities, etc. A smart community should be defined as a
wider community of people, from the level of small towns to the national level, which
has a common or shared interest (Ilhami et al. 2022; Nam and Theresa 2011). Citizens,
organizations, and institutions are working with the IT sector in the name of a
common idea.
In the technological dimension, the emphasis is on innovation and tools that
strengthen urbanization processes. The city is also referred to as a technocracy and
as a digital city or an intelligent city. Nam and Pardo have noticed that both terms are
different for real and virtual cities. The digital city engages every function of the city,
Managing future cities: media and information 175
such as working, living, moving, recreation, or environment. The term ‘smart city’,
on the other hand, is intended to highlight the phenomenon of technological
transfers, product development, and technological innovation and support for
creative companies (Kourtit et al. 2012). In the technological dimension, the term is
closely linked to the ICT sector, which is treated as the ‘backbone’of the city.
Bearing in mind the multitude of views and approaches, the author has
systematized the understanding of the concept. He adopted a definition according to
which smart city is a city that uses information and communication technologies and
other modern tools to optimize the life of its inhabitants and city management
(Mikucki 2021). The smart city is a much broader term that includes cybernetic,
digital activities as well as those based on machine-to-machine communication.
The smart city is considered as an idea, a concept, a phenomenon, a process, and a
policy (action).
Figure 1: Levels of smart city analysis: people, institutions, technologies. Source: T. Nam, T.A. Pardo,
Conceptualizing Smart City with Dimensions of Technology, People, and Institutions, The Proceedings of the
12th Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research, 12–15.06.2011. 286.
176 Mikucki
3 Media and ICT in smart city
The technological dimension of smart city is the starting point for the research
presented in this publication. The technological approach of smart city is often
presented as a set of interconnected elements that provide data on citizens’activities
and the physical state of the city (Mikucki 2021). J. Ramon Gil-Garcia (2012) considers
cities using advanced information and communication technologies to combine and
integrate information, processes, institutions, and physical infrastructure as smart
city, which is intended to have an impact on improving the living conditions of
residents and society as an entire. The authors of the article Smart Cities of the Future
have recognized the key role of small and large IT companies that provide a range of
ready-to-use solutions through software and innovative devices (Batty et al. 2012).
Michael Batty and the co-authors see the essence of the smart city concept in the need
to coordinate and integrate technologies that have so far been developed separately
from each other, but which have clear synergies in their application and must be
combined, thus contributing to improving the quality of life in the city. On the other
hand, Jennifer Gabrys (2014) stated that, in many of the proposals, smart cities
referring to ICT solutions, digital technologies are designed to synchronize urban
infrastructures to improve resource efficiency, service distribution, and participa-
tion. Technological factors are crucial, above all, through the use of ICT to change
the way of living and working in the city. However, simply implementing technology
is not enough –tools and software are important, but without real commitment
and willingness to cooperate between public institutions, private companies,
organizations, schools, and citizens, it will not be possible to implement smart cities
effectively (Hollands 2008).
In a smart society, the main focus is on the tools, forms, and organization of the
exchange of data, messages, and information, which takes place mainly through
the network infrastructure. The communication is supported by innovative and
functional devices, whereby unlimited contacts can be established without the need
to move around. Technological solutions influence the infrastructure of society
through social, telecommunications, data exchange, wireless, integrated, and, above
all, multimedia and broadband networks. The convergence of all types of networks
leads to the ubiquitous digitization of communication and information processes
based on ever-newer technologies. This makes communication more efficient, faster,
and multi-channel.
Various media in urban space can be treated both as goals (functions) and as
tools (resources) for introducing and implementing smart city strategies. The term
‘media’–including ‘new’–raises many definition problems today, with particular
reference to the differences between technology and media. Jan van Dijk (2010)
Managing future cities: media and information 177
defined the new media as integrated and interactive media of the turn of the 20th and
21st centuries based on binary code. Alternatively, they are called digital, interactive,
or multimedia. The understanding of new media is relative because it changes with
time and what distinguishes them from the traditional word and image is that
they are closely linked to technology, that they are created through the interaction
between man and machine (Hopfinger 2002).
One of the first steps to introduce new media into the urban space is the use of
information and communication technology tools. ICT provides solutions that
have a positive impact on the social, economic, and environmental spheres. Thus,
information and communication technologies become not only important for modern
society but are also an essential part of it (Dobrota et al. 2012). The implementation of
ICT solutions is necessary for the proper functioning of particular areas of the
city’s activity, such as e-services, urban transport, and economics. ICT influences the
creation of a real-time city using various data sources (Thompson 2016). These can be,
for example, mobile applications, social media, open data websites, city platforms,
smart data cards (e.g., the Oyster card in London), or smartphones.
3.1 Media infrastructure in smart city
Smart city has their own ‘architecture’, which consists of sensors, counters, and
software that makes it possible to communicate between humans and machines
and between machines. It is the reason why it is important to build a proper infra-
structure, which will be a link between the digital and physical spheres of the city
(Mattern 2015). Haidine and others (2016) have noted that infrastructure plays a
key role in creating smart city and they distinguished two types of infrastructure –
physical (e.g., buildings, roads, etc.) and digital (ICT-based solutions). Similarly, in the
case of media infrastructure, it can be seen that modern media can be classified in
terms of both the physical and the digital spheres. Some parts of the infrastructure
can be visible to the human eye and some parts are ‘under the surface’–invisible.
Following this, there are two types of media infrastructure: hard (hardware) and soft
(software) (Bhowmik 2016). Both the hard and soft parts of the infrastructure
intermingle and form different combinations.
3.2 Types of communication in smart city
Media in smart cities can also be analyzed by the different types of communication
that take place in the contemporary city. ICT has influenced changes in the ways
people communicate and has developed machine-to-machine communication.
178 Mikucki
Human-to-machine (H2M) communication occurs when a person performs an
activity with the help of a machine or when a machine sends out a message about
what a person should do. In machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, by entering
data and programs into a computer and using other technological solutions, the
machine can function and communicate with other devices without human
intervention.
H2M communication is used in the exchange of information (e.g., mobile
communication), and can also be used in other areas of life, such as healthcare,
banking, and the city (Antunes et al. 2012). In urban areas, by using a computer,
tablet, or smartphone, a citizen can participate in the decision-making process
for future urban development or manage facilities (smart cars, smart households).
In smart cities, new technologies and media lead to personalization and individu-
alization through geolocalisation and sensors. From this point of view, Ray Kurzweil
(2015) is expecting new solutions in everyday life with nanotechnology soon –a new
technology to send nano-robots to the brain (through capillaries), which will provide
full immersion in virtual reality at the level of the nervous system and connect with
human cerebral cortex to the cloud.
The number of smart devices in the city is constantly increasing –from smart
cars to smart screens to smartwatches. Sensory solutions for the citizen-oriented
smart city consist of sending and recognizing information. Companies representing
the high-tech segment outdo each other in creating machines whose communication
imitates direct contact with people.
Besides, the Internet is the place where media convergence is the most effective.
In smart cities, the Internet is the main communication channel that allows for
simultaneous synchronous or asynchronous communication: one-to-one, one-to-
many, few-to-few, and many-to-many (Jakubowicz 2011). Nowadays the Internet is a
combination of content, services, and people because computers, smartphones, and
tablets work together. The software and mobile applications available via the
Internet perform the functions of search engines, recommendations, purchases,
auctions, and interaction with other users. The software is used to create and
communicate with media objects and the surrounding environment (Manovich
2013). Media software can create, publish, and share images, video sequences, 3D
projects, text, and maps. In this context, tools used in today’s city include web search
engines, email boxes, instant messengers, wiki platforms, online games, podcasting,
and virtual reality.
Communication in smart city also takes place between machines. A typical M2M
system consists of devices enabling communication networks and information
technology integration (Höller et al. 2014). According to Min Chen (2013:168), M2M
communication is characterized by a heterogeneous network system that is designed
Managing future cities: media and information 179
to offer different services at any time and any place, while meeting the quality
requirements of the differently experienced smart service users.
Machine-to-machine communication in the city is related to the development of
the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT), as provided evidence by the organization
of separate discussion panels on this issue during conferences devoted to smart
cities, e.g., during the regular Smart City Forum meetings in Warsaw. The Internet of
Things is a widely used term used to describe things connected via the Internet that
exist in the physical environment. In many aspects, it is compared to communication
between machines due to the use of sensors and other information and communi-
cation technology devices operating over wired and wireless networks. In a city
where M2M and IoT solutions are implemented, symbiotic interaction between the
real/physical and digital/virtual worlds is created (Höller et al. 2014).
4 Methodology
Research on the role of media in Berlin and Warsaw is based on the case study
method. The goal of this paper is to examine the usage of media and information
and communication technologies in the two European capitals mentioned above. The
research aims at examining strategies and institutions (both private and public) in
light of the practical implementation of smart solutions by City Hall authorities.
Using the results of the qualitative research carried out, an attempt was made to
assess and understand the role of the media in both cities –both from the perspective
of strategic objectives, entities responsible for infrastructure and media develop-
ment, and as examples of good practice. Over the past few years, the case study
approach has become popular among urban media researchers, for example, the
method has been applied to the analysis of media clusters in European cities and
selected urban spaces in Poland (Komorowski 2017). According to Wilbur Schramm
(1971), the use of the case study is useful in research that aims to analyze decision-
making processes and the circumstances in which a decision was made, how it was
implemented, and what effect it had. According to Robert K. Yin (2017), a case study
aims to “analyze a phenomenon in detail, taking into account its actual context”.
Depending on the defined problem and research questions, the case study leaves the
researcher free to choose the cases studied, the research method (e.g., qualitative
analysis), and the research material, as well as the way the data is collected and
analyzed.
Given the multitude of views and approaches, the author has systematized his
understanding of the term smart city. The author has adopted a definition, according
180 Mikucki
to which smart city is a city that uses information and communication technologies
and other modern tools to optimize the lives of its inhabitants and to manage the city.
Media are understood here as a channel and medium that use information and
communication technologies to perform specific functions. The media are consid-
ered through the prism of human-machine and machine-machine communication,
and also in terms of both physical and digital media infrastructure (Figure 2). The
‘media’appearing in the title of the article mean mobile devices and applications,
virtual reality, online and social media, as well as devices, software, digitization
processes, sensors, sensory grids, etc. Considering the problems discussed, the
author did not include the activities of the so-called traditional media (press, radio,
television).
Berlin and Warsaw are implementing actions towards smart city, but it is
assumed that they take different paths of development and implementation. There
are differences between the two cities in terms of who is responsible for creating and
implementing the smart city strategy –in Berlin the public-private organization
Berlin Partner for Business and Technology is involved. The document Smart City
Strategy Berlin (2015), which outlines the city’s vision for the development of the city,
includes key actions to transform the German capital into smart city. The Warsaw
strategy is based on the implementation of dispersed smart projects and their
implementation by individual units of the Warsaw City Hall (e.g., the City Digitization
Office) and is supported by the general development strategy of the Polish capital –
#Warszawa2030 ( 2018).
Figure 2: Towards dimensions for media in smart city analysis. Source: author.
Managing future cities: media and information 181
5 Findings
5.1 Cities in change –understanding of smart city
Differences in the perception of smart city have been noticed at the level of
municipalities and private companies. In the definitions of smart city developed by
different actors, there is rather a focus on the implementation of a specific plan and
the use of specific tools for this action. The analysis of the concept has confirmed the
legitimacy of treating smart city based on three main dimensions of impact: human,
technological, and institutional. The optimal and mutual operation of these three
dimensions is a determinant and key to the creation of the smart city. It should
therefore be noted that this division is apparent and that the boundary between the
dimensions is inaccurate and may be blurred and certain actions may permeate.
According to many respondents, Berlin appears as a diverse, multicultural, and
accessible city. Berlin is: “The mix of the city, the mix of residents is unique. And it’s
not a rich city, it’s not a poor city, it’s both. It has a very broad spectrum of everything
and everyone (BLN 03)”and “a very diverse city compared to other German cities, so
this could be a good platform to bring all concepts together (BLN15)”. In Berlin, the
concept of smart city is understood differently, although it is worth noting that it is
implemented not only in the city area but is extended to the entire Brandenburg
region. It follows that the authorities of Berlin and its neighboring areas are working
towards the creation of a smart region and not just smart city of Berlin. The emphasis
of the Berlin respondents in the understanding of smart city was mainly on residents
and technology where smart city plays a role of: “a nervous system that surrounds
the world, as well as people and residents (BLN 06)”. It [smart city –the author]
is full of sensors, feedback, artificial intelligence, output devices and interactions
(BLN 06)”.
Focusing on the human dimension, Berlin is seen as a multicultural city with
an international background, which must take action to improve the lives of all
residents. As one of the experts said that: the “mix of residents”[in Berlin –by the
author] is unique. It is not a rich city, it is not a poor city, it is both. It has a very broad
spectrum of everything and everyone (BLN 03)”. Berlin is a diverse city, which makes
it a communication platform for many different international, cultural, and other
actors. Technological change goes hand in hand with social change, so it is important
to educate citizens on the use of technology in the city. Residents need to know what
social benefits arise from the use of infrastructure and media in urban spaces.
Therefore, it is worth promoting the idea of smart city among citizens using various
media, starting from traditional media (e.g., posters in urban space) and ending with
online messages e.g., on the authorities’websites (BLN 05). It is crucial to use modern
182 Mikucki
solutions and technologies to ensure the safety of citizens and quick and simple
access to the media. In the opinion of experts, residents should take an active part in
creating the city –smart city exists thanks to residents and for them: “Smartness
comes to us from residents. Smart city is a process of negotiation and integration
(BLN 11)”.
Berlin respondents also linked smart city to the technological dimension. The
growth rates of the Berlin ICT sector are higher than average, and the media and
creative industries are the business areas of around 37 000 companies, which employ
more than 300 000 people and generate an annual turnover of around EUR 30 billion.
ICT affects every aspect of city life, so it is impossible to build a city of the future
without it: “smart city is full of sensors, communication feedback, artificial intelli-
gence, output devices and interaction (BLN 06)”. Technologies influence directly the
high level of digitization, and it is, according to most respondents, the determinant of
smart city. “The smart city represents the digital form of all the processes that take
place when you live in a city. It starts with smart homes, smart workplaces, and smart
cities. I think smart city means a new expression, a new word that inscribes the
inhabitant as a participant in all public events and communication activities
(BLN 05)”. There is a need to connect: “the digital and physical sphere, so everything
we do is to provide the second, digital skin of the city, and thus what smart city is
really (BLN 03)”. And what is important “smart city is not only about communication
in the basic sense but also about everything that establishes our context (BLN 14)”.
There is a need to connect: “the digital and physical sphere, so everything we do
is to provide the second, digital skin of the city, and thus what smart city is really
(BLN 03)”.
In the institutional dimension, the cooperation of many entities is supposed to
make Berlin a metropolis based on technology, creative industries, and innovation.
For this purpose, the German capital has set up a suitable unit, the Berlin Partner, to
bring together various partners to stimulate the city’s economy. The cooperation of
actors involved in the smart city process is crucial (BLN 14). “An important role
in networking is nowadays played by machines and solutions based on artificial
intelligence (BLN 14)”. The respondent outlined futuristic scenarios for urban
development based on constantly evolving technologies and the use of machines in
modern communication. Berlin has a long tradition of partnership: as early as 1994,
private companies joined forces with the city authorities and founded Partner
für Berlin Gesellschaft für Hauptstadt-Marketing to make Berlin the capital of
innovation. An important role is played here by the city’s corporate culture and
the communication processes between authorities, companies, organizations, and
residents. According to that: “city offices should adopt an organizational culture
similar to that of large corporations, as exemplified by the German city of Hamburg
Managing future cities: media and information 183
(BLN 08)”. Thus, inspiration in the way they work and function within a corporation
can influence the ordering and effectiveness of projects aimed at creating smart city.
In Warsaw, the concept of smart city is very popular and ambiguous, but one can
see that the common denominator is information and communication technologies.
Although “the term smart city is very often misused. Especially in the sector of
ICT companies, electronics, IT, telecommunications (WAW 15)”. The study paid the
same attention to all three dimensions of smart city: human, technological and
institutional.
In the human dimension, the inhabitants are seen as one of the city’s main
resources. Technology should be used to serve the residents and help people (e.g.,
those with disabilities), and the role of smart city “is to use technologies to improve
and facilitate life in the city. In the concept of sustainable development –a city for
everyone (WAW 02)”. Smart city is supposed to make the inhabitants live optimally,
while the means used for this play a secondary role (WAW 03). Therefore, the most
important thing is to achieve the goal, and the tools used can be varied but must be
effective and efficient. The city must take care to ensure reliable information and
proper communication, as well as the safety of its residents. It is also essential to use
technology to make life easier for disabled people, for which access to information
may be problematic. The city must not exclude any social groups –must be inclusive.
Urban communities, despite different cultural codes or dysfunctions, should be
treated equally (WAW 12). “Smart city consists of a number of communication
subsystems that form a whole and these subsystems are connected through various
channels and are designed to serve the residents. Technology is intended to keep
people safe and to have a positive impact on culture and society. In promoting the
smart city concept, it should be emphasized that it is resident-centered, while
technology is one of many tools affecting the quality of life in the city (WAW 04)”.An
example of using information and communication technologies to improve the
quality of functioning in the city is the Virtual Warsaw mobile application. The aim is
to create a micro-navigation system in Warsaw with the use of a mobile application
and micro-transmitters in the urban fabric.
The technological area in Warsaw is understood as the integration of informa-
tion systems that will improve the quality and speed of information transfer. “Smart
city is about exploiting the potential inherent in modern solutions (WAW 08)”and
technology and new media influence whether a city is smart (WAW 01). Technology is
a determining factor in the smart city –“a city that uses technology to improve, make
life easier. In the concept of sustainable development –a city for all (WAW02)”. ICT is
to automate and speed up communication processes in Warsaw. Technology plays a
dual role in smart city: on the one hand, it is a source for creating devices and
software; on the other hand, technological tools make people’s lives easier, thus
saving various resources e.g., time (WAW 01). The presence of developed technology
184 Mikucki
affects the quality of media infrastructure which should be adapted to modern digital
technologies and the potential of the inhabitants (WAW 10). In the Polish capital, the
technological area is understood as the integration of IT systems that will affect
the quality and speed of information transfer. Information and communication
technologies are designed to automate and accelerate communication processes
(WAW 06). Warsaw “is the city that uses technology to improve, to make city life
easier. In the concept of sustainability –a city for all (WAW02)”.
Warsaw municipal authorities, private companies, residents, and environ-
mental and social organizations participate in the creation of smart city because this
concept is about communicating, coordinating needs, coordinating responses to
those needs, is about working together for development (WAW 10)”. Within the
institutional dimension, it is important to create an environment that is optimal for
many: residents, companies, organizations, or authorities. The involvement of
various actors will contribute to the development of solutions that will improve
and facilitate the functioning of the city, among other things, in terms of working
conditions, urban transport, or digital communication (WAW 09). “The target groups
for technology in the city are residents, investors, and tourists (WAW02)”. Another
indicator of the institutional dimension is the number of investments and the
presence of investors –domestic and foreign (WAW 04). Technology is the basis for
building smart city, while the creative industry is the future of city development. The
task of technological entities is to improve the activities carried out by ecological,
social, or cultural organizations (WAW 11).
5.2 City strategies in change
To fully understand the role of the media in smart city Berlin and smart city Warsaw,
it is crucial to examine the strategic approach to this idea. Berlin and Warsaw have
different approaches to having an official smart city strategy: a formal document
in Berlin, no strategy dedicated solely to smart city Warsaw, as well as an indication
of the role of the media. On the other hand, in both Berlin and Warsaw, smart city
operations are decentralized. Cooperation between public institutions and private
companies is treated as an opportunity for the city’s development: “public-private
partnership is a welcome matter because the administration has little chance to
match the business (WAW 09)”.
The study notes that smart projects in Berlin are dispersed (BLN 03). Never-
theless, given the strategic objectives and individual actions, the respondents pointed
to the advantage of the human factor. Human action dominates in Berlin, which has
its impact on the official strategy of the city and because of that: “Berlin does not need
a purely technological approach. People in Berlin are to be in the center The main
Managing future cities: media and information 185
strategy is and must be to increase the standard of living of citizens in Berlin (BLN
04)”. The role of smaller urban communities in the process of creating smart city is
also important. For example, The Hybrid Space Lab is a grassroots activity where
architects, urban planners, designers, media experts, and artists meet to initiate and
develop mixed analog and digital projects in the German capital. Their main aim is to
adapt the inhabitants to the changing reality and to stimulate cultural innovation.
But as another respondent notes “now we have tech offerings, but I’m not sure people
live in that environment. How can we show them to want to live in the world of
technology? This is a question to which I don’t see an answer (BLN 02)”.So“one of the
main goals should be to find a way to show the population the benefits of smart
processes. Because the smart city is an abstraction that people are not familiar with
(BLN 07).
The study showed that cooperation between the public and private sectors in
Berlin is the key to success in the development of the smart city because “the public
sector contributes content and the private sector capital and competence (BLN 14)”.
In Berlin, as part of the cooperation of municipal authorities and private companies,
the revitalization of the gasometer space, which is out of use, is being revised to
become a technological and creative area for residents and entrepreneurs –Euref
Campus. As one of the respondents emphasized, “the creation of smart city Berlin is
not the idea of creating a universal network communication platform, but the idea is
to collect a lot of different players (BLN 14)”.
Berlin is characterized by a liberal approach to strategy implementation.
Technology companies and organizations initiate their independent projects, while
the role of the authorities is mainly to coordinate ongoing actions. “The startup
ecosystem is alive, and people have a very liberal atmosphere in Berlin […]”
and because of that inhabitants can realize themselves “in a different way and no one
stops being creative. There is a very liberal and young, dynamic atmosphere
here [in Berlin –by the author] (BLN 04)”. Berlin is an ecosystem conducive to
the development of innovation, new media, and technologies, as evidenced by the
presence of many research and start-up entities (BLN 07). The study revealed
the need for change and support for innovation in Berlin: “It is not about buying
new infrastructure for the city at the best price, but to integrate it with innovation
(BLN 04)”.
The study noted the need for a suitable communication infrastructure in Berlin.
In particular, it is necessary to develop mobile and wireless infrastructure (BLN 02).
A digital form of infrastructure would, among other things, improve the economy
of the residents and the entire city. The media infrastructure in Berlin is not fully
developed, and most of the efforts to build it are made by private technology
companies. It is important to start by improving the hard infrastructure in the city
because it is still inefficient, and the starting point should be actions for building
186 Mikucki
the proper “physical structure of the network (BLN 02)”. Concerning media in the
city, attention was also paid to investing in urban data. “Data is the most important
resource of the new century (BLN 02)”, which not only drives the economy but also
improves the quality of life in the city.
Referring to the official strategy document, attention was drawn to the
discrepancy between the strategy and the facts, arguing that the strategy document is
created mainly for marketing and image purposes (BLN 13). The study emphasized
that Berlin’s smart city strategy document is not fully objective, and some elements of
politicization can be seen in it: “part of smart city in Berlin is driven by the interests
of the authorities (BLN 10)”. In terms of strategy and technology “there is a strong
emphasis on technology in the strategy because it can save money, it can save human
resources or processes that can be organized better and faster with the help of
technology. But we do not want to focus solely on technology (BLN 04)”. In addition, it
has been noted that the difficulties in implementing the smart city concept are due to
the three-tier administration (BLN 04). Berlin’s federal administration leads to the
fact that each district has its policy, so communication between the district
authorities must be strengthened and streamlined. This will make it possible to
exchange knowledge, experience, and projects (BLN 08).
According to experts in Warsaw, the success of smart city does not depend on the
creation of official strategic documents: “there is no strategy, i.e., there is no strategic
document. (…) I ask the question of whether we need a strategy because it cannot –I
think –bring smart city concept to the subject of strategy. For me, the strategy is a
development strategy and smart city is a concept of development (WAW 10)”. The
lack of a common strategy is an advantage, as it leads to competition and ingenuity
(WAW 10). However, workplaces were created for smart city specialists and a spot
dedicated to the idea itself was prepared and promoted (WAW 02). The authorities of
Warsaw are aware that other Polish cities, such as Wrocław or Rzeszów, have
developed official smart city strategies, but despite that, they resigned from limiting
their actions to fulfilling the promises included in the document (WAW 02).
One Warsaw expert also noted that the smart city is a concept that is difficult to
understand for part of the population, especially for those whose economic status is
not the best: “I have the impression that in Poland we have a problem understanding
deeper concepts, and the smart city is a deeper concept (WAW10)”.
In Warsaw, municipal authorities initiate and strongly engage in the processes
of digitization and media development in the city, which is proven by the creation of
the Warszawa 19115 platform:”this [Warszawa 19115 –by the author] is not just an
application, but the entire system related to city management. It has two layers –one
is a resident layer […]. The second aspect is how the city works, where there are
faults in the city (WAW 11)”. The main initiatives are investments in the development
of infrastructure and the digital layer, which thus increase the quality of the services
Managing future cities: media and information 187
provided, including main e-services. Discussing the specificity of Warsaw, one of the
respondents noted that it is easier to create smart city from scratch by building a new
city or in a small town than in a large metropolis (WAW 05). Above all, building
resources cannot be increased due to the limited urban area, which means that
activities must be very well thought-out and comprehensive.
The involvement of many city actors is necessary to create smart city (WAW 08).
Expert statements confirm the thesis that public-private partnerships are beneficial
for both the city and the solution provider (WAW 01). Many independent entities in
Warsaw recognize the importance of the smart city idea, but the challenge which
should be taken up by the municipal authorities is to create a cooperation and
communication network between them. The study also stressed the importance of
work culture and proper project management in smart operations. (WAW 14). The
study recognizes the advantages of cooperation between public and private actors.
Creative ideas and solutions for the smart city are provided by the private sector,
which is better developed than the public sector: “I believe you have to look for
solutions where the competencies are. And they are not in the public sector, they are
in the private sector (WAW06)”.
In any urban strategy, all actions should be citizen-centered, and in Warsaw “the
main goal should be to improve the quality of life because the city is about people.
When there are no people, there is no city (WAW 11)”. A city is smart when people are
well-informed and have an influence on management. The end-user of all solutions is
the citizen (WAW 03), but “the citizens are big a source of the data which give
information about the city, people and general functioning of the whole city area
(WAW 11)”. The study highlighted the positive involvement of Warsaw residents in
urban processes where “the issue of social participation, sustainable development is
properly addressed (WAW 09)”.
The study showed the need to build an integrated communication platform in
Warsaw (WAW 08), which would be filled with urban data –this is particularly the
aim of the municipal authorities. One of the respondents appreciated the actions of
municipal authorities to make data available (WAW 09). Urban open data is given as
one of the best examples of smart action in Warsaw. Another expert noted that city
authorities share data with private entities to boost the economy and improve
services for residents (WAW 11). Open data activities are crucial in Warsaw and “not
just open data, but also open innovation and open corporations. Not only city data
should be open, but everything should be characterized by openness (WAW 08)”.
The importance of hard and soft infrastructure solutions was recognized. One of
the main products offered is IoT, which combines multiple communication solutions
(WAW 03). A smartphone, on the other hand, is an extension of the human being
and the first device with which to connect directly with a resident who “should be
informed of certain events, preferably by phone (WAW 09)”. At the same time, the
188 Mikucki
study showed that the media infrastructure in Warsaw is still in the development
stage –it is not integrated.
Shortcomings in the planning of smart city activities in Warsaw were pointed
out. The development of Warsaw is carried out without a plan, in a disorderly way:
“the main goal of smart city is sustainable development. We have [in Warsaw –by
the author] a chaotic development (WAW 06)”. According to one expert, smart
city projects in the city are noticeably scattered, but there is no single document
summarizing all activities (WAW 05). In Poland’s capital city, there is still too little
action taken by city authorities and technology companies to develop smart
solutions. (WAW 10). Moreover, according to one of the Warsaw interviewees, joint
actions between the city authorities and technology companies are badly perceived
by the public because of the “hidden”economic interest of private companies: “We
are not ready. We see each other as having impure interests (WAW 03)”.
5.3 Media in the city in change
Media is nowadays an ambiguous term. During the in-depth interviews, various
definitions and ways of understanding contemporary media appeared. The media
are understood as “different kinds of media communication, media infrastructure
and information (BLN 07)”, and “a carrier of information in every direction and can
build information platforms (WAW04)”, and “a kind of visible skin that combines
everything around us. The media will play a more important role in the future
because of the different ways of information, communication. They will be
connected more and more. They will be the most powerful tool in the smart city
(BLN 08)”.
The study noted an analogy between media space and city space: “the city is a
communication space, and the media are a place of communication (BLN 08)”. Most
of the communication processes currently taking place in the city are based on the
media (BLN 14). New media in particular are an elementary part of smart cities,
where communication takes place on many levels and through various channels
(WAW 02). “Media are the core of smart city”and “everything is media. It’san
extension of your sensors. And it could be your phone vibrating because you’re
turning left. It’s an interaction. It connects you with the world and information about
the world. And it’s everywhere (BLN 06)”as one of the respondents underlined.
Smart city is based on digital communication and processes, which is why it is so
important to implement an appropriate media infrastructure that improves the city.
For a given urban communication solution to work, it is necessary to create an
infrastructure consisting of both hard and soft elements (WAW 03). The
infrastructure has to be useful and user-friendly for its beneficiaries (BLN 13) and
Managing future cities: media and information 189
only a proper combination of hard and soft infrastructure will have positive effects
on the city (BLN 06). “Sensory solutions and the idea of the Internet of Things are of
key importance for the hard infrastructure (BLN 08)”and they play a crucial role in
collecting urban data. As one of the respondents said, “there is one infrastructure,
some sensors or other devices or elements of technical infrastructure that collect
data, transmit this data somewhere to the cloud, and this cloud makes use of them
(WAW 06)”. Sensors are an alternative to traditional media (WAW 02), and, above all,
communication solutions based on beacons are useful for the city. Investing in
sensory solutions alone is not enough, so the right software is needed to manage city
services. Hard infrastructure is dependent on soft infrastructure, and vice versa, so
when implementing it, problems are encountered, especially in upgrading old
infrastructure (BLN 15).
Media and technologies in the city are implemented due to the data policies of
entities that usually implement the smart city strategy independently. What is
important, “media idea changes with technological development, so when we talk
about media, we also talk about information and communication technologies (BLN
15)”. The task of city authorities is to guarantee access to basic infrastructure, which
is the basis for creating other solutions by private entities. Thus, “a city should build
its infrastructure, for its purposes, but also make it available to others (WAW 11)”.
The integration of multiple channels and data collection sources is an important
task for municipalities. And “the communication channel is all that allows any
communication between different terminals, whether human-machine or machine-
machine. Software and hardware define what is this channel (WAW 09). In the
efforts to create the media infrastructure, a major factor is already existing and still
functioning infrastructure in the German capital, and relatively new and developing
infrastructure in the Polish capital.
M2M and H2M commutations are essential for smart city and will continue to be
more involved (BLN 03). Modern infrastructure brings benefits in terms of, for
example, savings or safety in the city. Sensors play a key role in M2M communication
and especially on the Internet of Things (WAW 04). H2M and M2M-based commu-
nication solutions foster the production of new media, and this may result in a new
type of media that will eventually absorb the old media. (BLN 15). In human-to-
machine and machine-to-machine communication, it is important to keep a balance
so that machines would not be superior to the human factor: “Machinery and
technology are meant to serve man, not the other way around (WAW 14)”.
The main problems related to the implementation of H2M and M2M can be
identified. Above all, H2M and M2M communication are not yet well developed
in Berlin due to technical deficiencies, as well as legal regulations which limit
human-machine activities. The study in Warsaw recognized the universality of H2M
and the usefulness of M2M, but the second communication pattern still has few
190 Mikucki
applications in the city. In both Berlin and Warsaw, another difficulty is the lack of
legal regulations concerning M2M solutions and problems with standardization
resulting from the multitude of communication protocols.
Berlin and Warsaw have not yet fully appreciated the usefulness of solutions
based on communication between machines, but there is increasing use of these
solutions in both cities. As one of the respondents said, “everyone walks with smart-
phones, so human interaction with the machine is everywhere. Machine-machine
interaction is not so obvious, but it will be stronger and more important in the future
(BLN 06)”. It should also be noted that the purpose of M2M communications is to
automatically combine data, but not all data should be integrated (WAW 08).
More hard tools, such as city screens and smartphones, should be implemented
and used in the capital of Germany. In contrast, concerning soft infrastructure, there
is still a need for new mobile applications that will provide communication with
municipal authorities, security for residents, and data that will be treated as a source
of information about the city. In Berlin, the study found that smartphones are key for
H2M communication in the city, while M2M communication highlights the growing
role of the Internet of Things.
In Warsaw, it was noted that media in the city should be contextual and enable
an analysis of user behavior. Soft infrastructure becoming increasingly dominant
and self-sufficient. There is still the need to build the hard and soft infrastructure
where “the communication channel is all that allows any communication between
different terminals, whether human-machine or machine-machine. Software and
hardware define what is this channel (WAW 06)”.
“Our idea of media is changing with technological developments, so when we
talk about media, we are also talking about information and communication tech-
nologies (BLN 15)”. The Berlin respondent emphasized the huge transformative role
of the media which “changes your connection to the world, changing the way you see
the world, and you react differently because you have different information about
the world. So, the media defines everything (BLN 11)”.
It is also important to remember that: “media in the city are moving towards
predictive and personalized messages based on data analysis. The media will pull
data from different sources, depending on what my profile is, and whether we are
approaching something, that is dangerous (WAW08)”.
6 Future
Undoubtedly, one direction for further research in the smart city area is to focus on
the role of city citizens. Particularly important are their level of involvement, their
willingness to participate in the smart city process, and the use of media in the city.
Managing future cities: media and information 191
Technologies implemented in a city make no sense if people do not use them, so the
role of citizens as media users, what kind of information they expect and how the
interaction between urban actors involved in smart city processes can take place
should be investigated. At this point, media education of citizens is an interesting
research direction. It is worth investigating what social elements may inhibit or
accelerate cooperation and opening up to citizens. Focusing on people and the city,
the question of gentrification and urban regeneration is also key and can be used for
social or economic purposes.
The future of the smart city can be looked at from the side of organizational
culture in administrative bodies and policy-making. Current administrative structures
tend to be flattened, resulting in longer decision-making processes. The smart city is
influencing new patterns of organizational culture, as evidenced by the interest in
creative environments. Private organizationsare quicker to recognize the potential of
new forms of work culture, so it is worth examining what factors influence the private
sector sees certain relationships and benefits that the public sectordoes not. The future
of media in the smart city will be even more important, mainly due to the dynamic use
of technology in everyday life, which is causing media to evolve and more forms
of media to emerge. ICTs are influencing the development of new communication
constructs, used in multiple ways. New forms of media are increasingly being used in
urban spaces, such as artificial intelligence or VR. It can therefore be expected that a
new form of media will emerge soon to transform the city.
The smart city concept is strongly linked to the area of collecting as much data
as possible, and the media are critical in their acquisition. Thus, the role of the media
is increasingly moving towards collecting, processing, and presentation of data
obtained from multiple devices and multiple channels. Therefore, solutions based on
H2M and M2M communication are key, as they enable the collection of data directly
from the user and their environment.
When thinking about the development of media in the future, it is important to
note, that they are already being combined with artificial intelligence, so it seems
natural to use them in robotics and the automation of human processes. Media are
becoming more and more contextual, adapting to the user thanks to algorithms, so in
the long term, it can be expected that robots will replace humans in performing
many communication activities, as they will be able to act automatically and even
predictively based on data analysis. Such solutions are mainly needed in cities with
an increasing influx of people, so communication processes must take place quickly
and efficiently. In Berlin, tests are already being carried out on the use of autono-
mous vehicles, and there are plans to implement them permanently in urban spaces
in the future. However, the main obstacles are the fears of the inhabitants –related,
for example, to surveillance or changes in the labor market –and the law, which
works very slowly and does not keep up with reality.
192 Mikucki
7 Conclusions
Considering the three main dimensions of smart city impact, in both cases –Berlin
and Warsaw –to a greater or lesser extent all dimensions are visible, but one can say
that in Berlin the human dimension dominates, while in Warsaw the technological
one. In both cities, the impact of the media infrastructure is highlighted, with hard
and soft parts. In Berlin, the infrastructure needs to be updated due to current
technological developments. In Warsaw, the infrastructure needs further develop-
ment because it is being expanded in some parts and is not yet integrated. In both
Berlin and Warsaw, there are two types of communication on which smart city
solutions are based: human-machine communication and machine-to-machine
communication. As a result of the analysis of sources in the theoretical and practical
dimension as well as the qualitative research allow consider the hypothesis to be
correct: media in smart city Berlin and smart city Warsaw are not the result of a
specifically defined strategy. The strategy is perceived as insufficient and is under-
stood differently depending on the respondent profile.
It can be concluded that the success of smart city implementation does not
depend on the creation of official strategic documents. The efforts to produce the
smart city are characterized by a dispersion of projects that are undertaken by many
actors, not only public but also private. Media and technology in the city are
implemented through the policies of stakeholders, who are usually pursuing the
smart city strategy themselves. As the study shows, many actors must cooperate and
engage in urban projects. Berlin has a liberal approach to strategy implementation,
which means that technology companies and organizations are more active in the
smart city area, initiating their independent projects, while the role of the authorities
in this process is reduced to only coordinating the ongoing actions. In Warsaw, the
city authorities initiate and are strongly involved in digitization processes and media
development in the city, as evidenced, for example, by the creation of the Warszawa
19115 platform. The activities of organizations and private companies are much
weaker and very dispersed in the actions undertaken. Although Warsaw does not
have an official smart city strategy document, smart initiatives are promoted and
implemented through the activities of individual city departments. This is also a
strategic approach that allows a great deal of flexibility in the action and testing of
smart solutions without following a long-term official document. In times of a
dynamically changing technological environment and thus the development of ever
newer solutions (e.g., artificial intelligence), the Warsaw approach seems to be more
agile in adapting the implementation of smart city solutions. In both Berlin and
Warsaw, some urban planners and experts have criticized the extreme technological
Managing future cities: media and information 193
approach, emphasizing the human dimension of cities. Especially in Berlin, most
respondents indicated that inclusivity or cultural diversity was more important
than a strictly technocratic approach to smart city development. Measures to
promote e.g., cycling or resource sharing are highly promoted in Berlin.
In the two cities analyzed, municipal governments are taking various measures
to improve the media infrastructure in the city. In Berlin, these measures are rather
slow because the old infrastructure is still functioning, and the inhabitants have
gotten used to the way of using existing communication solutions in the city. In
Warsaw, on the other hand, the process of creating infrastructure is faster and more
effective, because it is easier to implement new technological solutions and elements
than to update the old ones. A similar action taken by Berlin and Warsaw is the stages
of development of media infrastructure, which shows that hard infrastructure
should be developed first, and then soft infrastructure. Both Berlin and Warsaw are
representative of the implementation of the smart city concept in Europe, especially
in the area of Central and Eastern Europe, which is united by a great deal of history
(cities affected by the communist system), cultural codes, and membership of the
European Union. In Warsaw, the emphasis is on activities in the technological
dimension, which is related to the implantation of the latest technologies and media,
in an area where, in fact, until about 20 years ago, the media infrastructure was
underdeveloped and activities for its development were not carried out and noticed.
Berlin has quite a long tradition of implementing technology into the urban fabric,
but it is already an infrastructure that is often inadequate for today’s technological
possibilities, so efforts to update/renovate it are slow. On the other hand, residents
are already friends with the existing infrastructure, and it seems that it is for them, as
well as for city decision-makers, it is more important to act on the human dimension
and promote pro-human solutions, not necessarily involving technology. Thus, one
city and the other represent different paths to smart city implementation, but these
are adapted to their economic and social state as well as their historical background.
Other cities with similar experiences and stages of development can benefit from
the strategic approaches of the cities analyzed.
Appendix: In-depth interview questionnaire used
in Berlin and Warsaw
About the respondent…
1. What is your role/job in the organization?
2. What projects does your company (department) undertake?
194 Mikucki
(continued)
About the smart city…
1. What does smart city mean to you?
2. What makes your city a smart city?
3. What makes the smart city Berlin/Warsaw unique compared to other European
urban areas?
Strategy …
1. How do you assess the smart city strategy in your city?
2. What should be the main goal of the strategy to make the city smart?
3. What do you think about public-private cooperation in the implementation of
smart city solutions?
About the role of the media …
1. What do the media mean to you?
2. What do the media mean to you in the city?
3. How does the media serve smart city Berlin/Warsaw?
4. What is the role of ICT in the media infrastructure?
5. Do you think the city can be seen as a platform? Do you consider Berlin/Warsaw to
be a platform? Why?
Examples …
1. What types of communication are used in the city’s media infrastructure?
2. What media are most important for the implementation of smart city Berlin/
Warsaw?
3. Can you give examples of the most successful technology and media solutions?
For example –one of H2M communication and another of M2M?
4. Why were they successful?
5. how do you see future media and the role they will play in smart city solutions?
And also…
1. Is there anything you want to add?
Source: author.
Managing future cities: media and information 195
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Bionote
Jacek Mikucki
University of Warsaw, Warszawa, 00-312, Poland
j.mikucki@uw.edu.pl
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1713-6356
Jacek Mikucki is assistant professor at University of Warsaw (Poland), PhD. He has studied audiovisual
culture, urban communications and new forms of media, including startups and SMEs in Germany and
Poland. Through his PhD dissertation, he contributed to the theory of high technologies and media
infrastructure in a smart city. He has a background in qualitative studies –data collection and coding of
findings from semi-structured interviews. He teaches at the University of Warsaw, Poland. He has been
involved in several projects on media and communication in smart cities. His research interests new forms
of media, local communication, electronic media and audiovisual arts.
198 Mikucki
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