Smart urban progress as a tool to assess urban and environmental sustainability: a case study of Zhenjiang, China

The proliferation of urban areas has led to significant economic and environmental challenges, prompting urban experts to seek effective strategies to address these issues. Over recent decades, various localized solutions have been proposed. However, in the late 20th century, the concept of smart urban growth emerged as a comprehensive strategy to combat environmental challenges and achieve sustainable development. A "smart city" leverages information and communication technologies (ICTs) to optimize service delivery to its residents. This research aims to explore the regional smart city metrics in Zhenjiang, China. Utilizing descriptive and analytical methodology, the study is both practical and exploratory in nature. Data collection was conducted through library research and surveys involving 25 IT specialists, city managers, and professors. To ensure the reliability of the survey questions, Cronbach's alpha and hybrid alpha were employed. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS and Smart PLS software through structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that the smart economy has the most substantial impact, with a path coefficient of 0.689, followed by smart people at 0.419, and smart government at 0.292. These results validate the outcomes of the survey. The study discusses the potential implementation of smart city components to foster the adoption of smart city initiatives in Zhenjiang and its potential contributions to environmental and sustainability objectives.