Serving society at large. Operationalization and evidence of (advanced) frugal innovation in industrialized economies

Abstract

In existing works, frugal innovations are predominantly associated with emerging markets. Little is known about the development and diffusion of frugal innovations in industrialized economies or high-income countries. According to recent research, this can also be attributed to structural differences between emerging and industrialized economies. However, very little empirical research exists that examines the impact of such differences on frugal innovation. This paper develops initial steps towards assessing frugal attributes of existing products. In addition, it can be assumed that the application of certain frugal design principles inhibits attractiveness in certain markets due to the resulting lower level of amenities. However, frugality methods that rely more heavily on internal customization also exist. Accordingly, the possibility of using these methodologies also exists beyond serving the needs of the poor, fulfilling the needs of societies in general, including high-income population groups.