Hedonistic vs utilitarian value co-creation in smart city Dubai, a professional expatriate experience [Abstract]

The United Nations (UN) has predicted that two billion people will be living in urban areas by 2050. That shift to urban living is a driver for cities to provide services through innovative means, this has fostered the transformation of city into smart cities, drawing on digital technologies to provide services more effectively. This research explores the of smart city of Dubai (UAE), and the value co-creation experience of professional expatriate residents in respect of those city services, as the group is underrepresented in the research despite 90% of the UAE population being expatriates. The UAE along with many nations see expatriate talent as integral to economic growth and prosperity. This study takes a quantitative approach, using 482 questionnaire responses and analysing via structural equation modelling to examine where value is created, using the four dimensions of value framework and its utilitarian and hedonic components. The findings show areas where value is most prominent and that utilitarian value is prized over hedonic value in the smart city context. These findings provide insights for smart city managers around the world looking to attract global talent with a beneficial living environment, as well as adding to a growing body of existing value creation literature focusing on public value creation.