Smart City and Human Resource Governance: A Case Study in Banyuwangi

Amongst the scholarly discussions on smart cities, the human resource aspect is almost absent from elaborating. Meanwhile, human resources is a crucial part in the adoption of smart city policy. Moreover, within the context of developing countries, human resources always become an issue given its complex problems due to limited education and relatively low-skilled staff in bureaucracy, including in Asian countries. However, some local governments in these regions are known to succeed in promoting smart city policy. This article discusses human resource governance, despite the complexities the local government faces, in undergoing smart city policy in developing context. This article uses Banyuwangi regency as a case study using qualitative methods and applying interviews and observations as data collection methods. Based on research findings, leadership is the first key to manage human resources, followed by a clear incentive and disincentive policy, equipped with a cultural approach. Banyuwangi experience can be a good lesson for other regencies to learn for promoting innovation and local governance transformation.