Capturing frugal innovation: Introduction to the Handbook on Frugal Innovation

This chapter sets the scene for the Handbook on Frugal Innovation. First, it describes the origins of the concept of frugal innovation and its emergence as an academic field of interest. Then, main drivers behind frugal innovation are explored. From the scholarly discussion on frugal innovation major themes are distilled that inform the...

Frugal innovation: Some theoretical observations from innovation-economic and social-entrepreneurial perspectives

This chapter’s aims to link frugal innovation (FI) to some theoretical notions. First, it presents a brief overview of what FI is in order to identify characteristics that can be linked to theoretical notions. Second it links the concept of FI to 1) existing theoretical notions on profit-induced innovators and how these contribute to economic...

Reverse Innovation in Retrospect and Prospect: Quo Vadis?

Reverse innovation (RI) is considered as an innovation originally designed and developed for low-income customers living in severely resource-constrained environments in emerging and developing countries’ markets, with the potential to be diffused in developed markets. After more than a decade of academic studies, the potential role of RI in...

Frugal innovation and sustainability outcomes: findings from a systematic literature review

Purpose: Advance the state-of-the-art on how frugal innovation links to sustainability outcomes and based on content analysis of empirical publications in the field of frugal innovation, analyzing when and how FI is connected with social, environmental and economic outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: Quantitative content analysis on empirical...

Rare gems or mundane practice? Resource constraints as drivers of frugal innovation

Frugal innovation and related concepts are receiving increasing scholarly attention. While recent progress in the conceptualisation of frugal innovation as a phenomenon has been considerable, insights into the antecedents of frugal innovation remain relatively poor. We add to this literature by systematically conceptualising, theorising and...

Using nature-based water storage for smallholder irrigated agriculture in African drylands: Lessons from frugal innovation pilots in Mozambique and Zimbabwe

Alluvial aquifers in seasonal rivers are a yet underutilised resource in many (semi-)arid regions of Africa. These so-called sand river aquifers provide nature-based water storage within easy reach because they are shallow. They form a significant potential renewable source of water for irrigation development. Innovative approaches and solutions...

Towards a sufficiency-driven business model: Experiences and opportunities

Business model innovation is an important lever for change to tackle pressing sustainability issues. In this paper, ‘sufficiency’ is proposed as a driver of business model innovation for sustainability. Sufficiency-driven business models seek to moderate overall resource consumption by curbing demand through education and consumer engagement,...