Solutions to Manage Smart Cities’ Risks in Times of Pandemic Crisis

The purpose of this paper was to investigate technologies, methods, and approaches that can be used to effectively manage smart city risks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper was based on a review of specialized literature sources and expert statements on smart cities in times of crisis, specifically during COVID-19. A systematic literature review served as the research’s methodological foundation; this was supplemented by conceptual data analysis techniques and a modeling method. Our initial search yielded 234 research articles, 38 of which met our inclusion criteria and were included in the review. A further 32 studies fell outside of the criteria for supporting smart cities’ crisis management. The main findings showed that technologies can respond quickly to pandemic crisis risks while also ensuring the availability of urban functionality and that there are numerous risks in implementing technologies to achieve effective management. The main risks were privacy concerns, social inclusion, political bias, misinformation and fake news, and technical difficulties with education and distance employment. The practical significance of the paper lay in proposing a model based on specific technologies and policies aimed at effective risk management in the days of COVID-19.