Open Data and Smart Cities as Opportunities for the Development of Ecuadorian Cities
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Abstract
This research examines the intersection of Open Data and Smart Cities as strategic drivers for urban development in Ecuador. Unlike previous descriptive updates, this study provides an evolutionary analysis of the national ecosystem, identifying a critical gap between a robust regulatory framework—highlighted by the 2022 National Open Data Policy—and its uneven technical implementation at the municipal level. Through a systematic review of 221 local governments (GADs) and international indices updated to March 2025, the findings reveal a significant 14-fold expansion in national data volume (surpassing 1,535 datasets) contrastingly met by a steady decline in global smart city rankings for major cities like Quito and Guayaquil in the IESE Cities in Motion Index (CIMI). The study introduces the concept of 'regulatory vs. operational maturity' and highlights emerging leadership in cities like Cuenca through its 'Cuenca en Datos' initiative. The results underscore that while open data availability has increased, institutional capacity, financial limitations, and a lack of technical standardization remain primary barriers to transforming raw data into efficient urban management tools.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Labanda-Jaramillo M.
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