This book acknowledges and develops the role of neo-institutional theories in understanding and interpreting political phenomena. In particular, this neo-institutional study analyses the dynamic interaction between formal/informal rules and agents’ behaviour inside a political institution, examining these relationships through primary research on local partnerships in Greece. The theoretical assumptions of this analysis derive mainly from normative neo-institutionalism but also include insights from rational choice and the historical institutionalism. Consideration is also given to sociological theories of the structure/agent duality along with concepts and empirical observations from the literature on urban governance, urban regimes, Europeanisation and political leadership. This interdisciplinary analysis stems epistemologically from the critical realism stance which acknowledges a reflexive approach to reality. This was also integrated into the research methodology with the implementation of an embedded case study strategy. The case study consists of two local partnerships in the region of Crete, which were established under the EU Community Initiatives Programmes EQUAL II and LEADER+ and coordinated by the Local Development Agency of Heraklion. The research data reveal that the formal rules of the partnerships are not indicative of what actually happens. It is the configuration of formal and informal rules that offers a deep understanding of partnership. The research also shows the importance of agents' intentionality in the process of institutional change as well as the specific spatial and temporal context in which this institutional change takes place each time.

In recent years, there has been a growing research and policy interest in the transformation of cities into smart cities and the role that citizen participation plays in this process. Despite the development of digital tools and applications, active citizen engagement remains a significant challenge, particularly within the Greek context, which presents unique specificities regarding the implementation of participatory processes. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current state of affairs concerning the use of digital media as tools to support participatory processes for the shaping of smart cities, as well as the prospects they create. This study adopts an exploratory qualitative case-study approach to examine how elected municipal officials perceive citizen participation, digital transformation, and related institutional, technological, educational, and social barriers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 elected officials—mayors and deputy mayors—from seven municipalities in the Western Sector of Athens, Greece, and the data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase approach. The findings indicate that the interviewed officials perceived citizen participation as constrained by fragmented information and communication channels, limited civic awareness and digital skills, accessibility barriers, uneven municipal digital capacity, and insufficiently structured participatory mechanisms. They also highlighted the need for stronger coordination, education, evaluation, and knowledge exchange across municipal initiatives. Building on these context-specific findings, together with insights from the broader literature, this paper proposes the creation of a unified national platform for Greek smart cities, which will function as a mechanism for information, education, participation, evaluation, and knowledge exchange. The proposed platform seeks to enhance participatory governance, promote the development of civic awareness and critical thinking, and support the dissemination of best practices among Greek municipalities. The findings of this exploratory case study suggest that the transition of Greek cities into citizen-centric smart cities presupposes integrated strategic approaches that combine technological innovation with education, participation, and stakeholder collaboration.