SMART INFRASTRUCTURE AND PARKING CITATION REVENUE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: THE ROLE OF SOCIOECONOMIC AND URBAN ENVIRONMENT FACTORS

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the impact of IoT projects on parking citation revenue (PCR) generation in the public sector, focusing specifically on smart parking systems (SPS). The research uses two empirical case studies to understand how SPS affects PCR and how various moderators, how socioeconomic status (SES) and urban environment factors, such as business vitality (BV), population density (PD), and amenity per capita (APC), influence this relationship. Study 1 examines the moderating effect of SES on the relationship between SPS and PCR. Grounded in the Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) framework and digital divide literature, it hypothesizes that higher SES areas, characterized by better access to technology and higher digital literacy, would experience a weakened positive relationship between SPS and PCR due to improved compliance and fewer violations. Utilizing a longitudinal dataset of 263,578 parking citations from Los Angeles (2015–2023) and employing a random-effects (RE) model, the findings confirm that in higher SES districts, the positive impact of SPS on PCR is diminished. Conversely, SPS leads to increased PCR in lower SES areas, highlighting the importance of addressing the digital divide to ensure equitable benefits from smart city initiatives. Furthermore, applying time limit (TL) policies within the SPS yields differential outcomes depending on the durations established. Specifically, shorter time limits are associated with increased PCR, while longer time limits correspond to decreased PCR. This underscores the influence of TL policies on parking behavior and compliance rates. Study 2 uses the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework to investigate how urban environment factors, BV, PD, and APC, moderate the SPS-PCR relationship. The hypotheses suggest that BV, PD, and APC would strengthen the positive impact of SPS on PCR due to higher parking demand. The results reveal that PD positively moderates the SPS-PCR relationship, supporting the hypothesis. However, contrary to expectations, higher BV and APC weaken the positive impact of SPS on PCR, possibly due to the availability of private parking options and policies prioritizing accessibility over strict enforcement in amenity-rich areas. The dissertation highlights the influence of socioeconomic and urban environmental contexts on technology effectiveness, using TCE and TOE frameworks. Practically, it provides insights for policymakers and urban planners, emphasizing the need for context-sensitive strategies in implementing IoT technologies to optimize benefits, address the digital divide, and achieve equitable, efficient, and sustainable urban development.