Impact of Technological Resources, Capabilities and Contexts on Government Efficiency and e-Inclusion: An Analysis of Smart Cities

Local governments seek to create public value (PV). However, the increasing demand for public services due to the dynamism and complexity of cities has given rise to socio-technical problems, which have led to a re-evaluation of the application of technology to improve government efficiency (technology-based efficiency or Ef-GovT) and digital inclusion (e-INCL). This research aims to contribute to prior literature on public management by analysing how capabilities (capability-based theory [CT]), resources (resource-based theory [RBT]), and the technological context of the main urban actors—citizens and cities—impact Ef-GovT and e-INCL in smart cities (SCs). In a study involving a sample of 264 SCs, different patterns (isomorphism) influencing Ef-GovT and e-INCL were identified, and the roles of RBTs, CTs, and contextual influences were validated. This research offers valuable practical implications for local governments by providing a model—MTP-R2CT (Technological Profile Model of People and Cities, which considers their Resource, Capacities, and Technological Context)—that facilitates ongoing evaluation of the efficacy of public policies about Ef-GovT and e-INCL and, ultimately, the generation of PV.