Frugality, grassroots and inclusiveness: new challenges for mainstream innovation theories

Abstract

Intriguing and provocative concepts such as frugal innovation, BOP innovation, empathetic innovation and inclusive innovation are attracting the attention of many scholars in emerging countries as well as raising concern in the Western. Those notions are often indicated as ‘below-the-radar innovations’. There are several reasons to believe that technical and social changes originating in the developing world will become a major driver of innovation in the near future. For those reasons it is crucial to understand how innovation is planned, design and deployed outside the comfortable territory of Western paradigm. The objective of the present article is to provide an overview of the alternative innovation paradigms that are emerging in the developing world. On the other hand, the article aims at analysing the determinants and drivers that are at the base of below-the-radar innovation.