debate on the future of cities, the diffusion of SC initiatives in countries with different needs and contextual conditions (e.g. in either developed or developing nations) makes it difficult to identify
shared definitions and common current trends at a global scale. There is still in fact no general consensus on the meaning of the term SC or on what its describing attributes are. However, there
is wide agreement about the fact that SCs are characterised by a pervasive use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), which, in various urban domains, help cities make better
use of their resources. However, ICT-based solutions can be considered as just one of the various input resources for projects and approaches to urban planning and living that have the aim of
improving the economic, social and environmental sustainability of a city. This implies that those cities that are more equipped with ICT systems are not necessarily better cities, and that the number of ‘‘smart’’ initiatives launched by a municipality is not an indicator of city performance, but could instead result in an intermediate output that reflects the efforts made to improve the quality of life
of the citizens. As a consequence of the lack of a common view, investigating the diffusion patterns of SC initiatives around the world may help to generate a better understanding of the characteristics and future trends of SCs and contribute to the current debate. The importance of this analysis lies in the awareness that various obstacles tend to slow down the diffusion process of SC initiatives. According to recent evidence (The Economist, 2013), most of the companies