The smart city that would not be labelled 'smart': a tale about innovation in urban development through citizen-centric and sustainable ideals

This article provides a case study of urban development triggered by an exogenous shock and examines how public sector innovation can lead to a new path for local government in urban development. Bod & oslash; municipality applied innovative urban development approaches to change the trajectory of the shock and developed a new narrative about themselves. This case is examined through a public sector innovation lens, specifically emphasizing the path-constituting impact such shocks can have on path-dependent public sector organizations. The article thus contributes with an empirical example of innovative urban development with a collaborative focus.