Smart City Policy as a Driver of Innovation-Driven Economy of Polish Cities

The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of implementing the smart city concept on the development of innovation-driven economy in Polish regional capital cities. To achieve this research objective, a synthetic index – the Innovation-Driven Economy Index (IDEI) – was developed, comprising five indicators. The findings indicate that in 2023, the highest IDEI values were recorded in Lublin, Warsaw, and Rzeszów, whereas the lowest values were observed in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Zielona Góra, and Bydgoszcz. To measure the extent of the sample cities’ commitment to implementing the smart city concept, the propensity to obtain the ISO 37120 certification was used as a proxy. The results reveal that only four cities currently hold or have previously held this certification. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the level of smart city development (measured by possession of ISO 37120 certification) and the quality of human capital (measured by the number of higher education graduates per 100.000 inhabitants) have a positive impact on the level of innovation-driven economic development.