The Impact of Frugal Innovation Paradoxes on Flood Resilience in Changing Environments

Abstract

Flood resilience in the Global South remains hindered by the direct transfer of technocratic frameworks from the Global North, which often overlook local socio-geographic contexts. This mismatch creates a resilience deadlock, where rigid, top-down approaches fail to produce sustainable or inclusive outcomes. This thesis investigates how paradoxes emerging from frugal innovation, defined as low-cost, adaptive and community-driven solutions, can help overcome this impasse. Using the Dynamic Equilibrium Model (Smith & Lewis, 2011), the research frames flood resilience as a system of competing but interdependent tensions: . A qualitative methodology was employed, combining literature review with 19 semi-structured interviews from stakeholders across eight countries. Grounded theory coding was used to identify patterns and build a theoretical framework. The study then introduces the concept of Legitimacy Convergence, arguing that frugal innovations become impactful only when they simultaneously achieve technical, institutional, financial and social legitimacy. When any one of these is lacking, innovations risk remaining marginal or short-lived. This framework is validated through a comparison of the 2024 Rio Grande do Sul floods in Brazil with Odisha’s successful resilience model in India. Ultimately, the thesis proposes a governance-sensitive approach that embraces paradoxes rather than eliminating them. It demonstrates how frugal innovation, when properly legitimized and institutionally supported, can help transform resilience planning in the Global South.