NextGen Smart Cities

This book explains the essence of true Smart Cities, the four different types of Smart Cities, outlines select case studies that support the types and concepts behind Smart Cities and identifies the overall trends in building a Smarter Planet. Moreover, this book addresses subjects that are normally ignored in discussions and presentations regarding Smart Cities, such as Smart Education, Smart Culture and Smart Transformation Management for Social and Societal changes that are brought up by the implementation and institutionalization of Smart Cities. The book does not claim to have all the answers and prescripted solutions to all issues and challenges raised by the introduction of Smart Cities. But the reality is that no one does. Smart Cities is actually launching an entire new civilization similar to the Renaissance, and no one today can fully explain what this new civilization is all about because it represents the confluence of industry-wide changes (as outlined by the 4th Industrial Revolution), massive technological changes (that lead to dramatic changes in jobs and professions), and gargantuan social transformations that will affect how people view each other, work, business in general ... and even political systems. There will be breathtaking changes before the end of this century that will leave people both in awe and amazement.We do encourage dialogues and discourses that will advance and even accelerate all the concepts presented in this book.