SMART CITIES AND THE MEASUREMENT OF URBAN ECONOMY AND ENTREPRENEURIAL INDICATORS: THE CASE OF PASSO FUNDO/RS.

Purpose - The intense urbanization process has transformed the urban dynamics. Such phenomenon is the cause of some of the main problems of contemporary cities, in social, environmental, and economic dimensions. Therefore, planning and managing cities have been a challenge for public managers. The concept of Smart Cities is an initiative that seeks to assist in this process, using Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) as agents of transformation in the urban environment. One tool used by Smart Cities is the measurement through indicators, serving as a basis for decision making. The objective of this article is to analyze the urban indicators of Economy and Entrepreneurship of Passo Fundo / RS. Design/ methodology/approach - In the methodology, the indicators of the Connected Smart Cities Ranking were used as a reference, adopting a regional cut of medium-sized cities, located in the South Region, classified among the first 20 in the Ranking. Multimethod research, collection, and data collection procedures were applied. Findings - The results show that the majority of the Passo Fundo indices are lower than those of the cities analyzed, as well as the indices related to employability and the growth of companies. However, the city has satisfactory rates, such as the workforce in the Education and R&D sector, and the creation of technology centers and incubators in the municipality. Originality/value - From this analysis, the results obtained may serve as subsidies for public management in the formulation of more assertive strategies for Passo Fundo / RS in the quest to become a more intelligent and sustainable city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]