A New Dimension of Acceptance? Introducing Perceived Public Value as Extension of UTAUT in the Smart City Context

Smart city technologies aim to address urban challenges by leveraging digital innovation to contribute to livability. However, their acceptance by citizens remains a critical challenge. Technology acceptance models such as the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) assess individual benefits, overlooking community-oriented motivations. This study proposes expanding UTAUT by introducing perceived public value (PPV) as a new dimension that reflects collective benefits that individuals perceive for their community. Drawing on public value theory, we synthesize a concept of public value and evaluate UTAUT's capability to reflect resulting public value dimensions. Our findings suggest that integrating PPV as additional dimension in UTAUT could enhance understanding of technology acceptance in the smart city context and lays the groundwork for empirical validation. This research contributes to both research and practice by advocating for the inclusion of public value considerations in smart city development, aiming for more sustainable urban development.