Adoption of IoT Platforms: In Swedish municipalities for smart city initiatives

Abstract: This thesis aims to understand what influences the adoption of Internet of Things [IoT] platforms in Swedish municipalities for smart city initiatives. The adoption of IoT platforms in Swedish municipalities is slow, but the effects of an IoT platform can enhance the processes and progression toward smarter cities. To describe what influences the adoption of IoT platforms, the Technology-Organisation-Environment framework is adapted to study this within three dimensions, the technological context, the organisational context and the environmental context. With a qualitative foundation, eight semi-structured descriptive interviews were conducted with respondents from eight municipalities. They were transcribed and coded with a concept centric approach. The municipalities are of different size but have all adopted an IoT platform to utilise. The study found that managerial support, informal leadership and industry initiatives are per-ceived as influential; technological competence and data ownership are perceived as non-influential; and interoperability, function size and stakeholder support are inconclusive in the Swedish municipalities’ adoption of IoT platforms for smart city initiatives.