Sustainable frugal innovation - The connection between frugal innovation and sustainability

Abstract

Frugal innovation is often associated with (ecological and social) sustainability because it is characterized by minimizing the use of resources (raw material, production resources, energy, fuel, water, waste, financial resources), it is more affordable, and better accessible than conventional innovations. My paper contributes a comprehensive literature overview on the connection between frugal innovation and sustainability. I address the used definitions of frugal innovation and sustainability, and outline the potentials and threats of frugal innovation for sustainability. My research approach is a two-step procedure, consisting of a literature review according to Cooper (focusing on the steps of data collection and data evaluation) and a qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. For data collection and data evaluation, I searched various databases with selected keywords. The 14 identified texts were analyzed with a qualitative content analysis in the type of inductive category development. All texts examined describe a positive connection between frugal innovation and sustainability and/or potentials of frugal innovation for sustainability. Just under half of the authors outline negative connections between frugal innovation and sustainability and/or threats of frugal innovation for sustainability. Based on the results it can be noted, that frugal innovation is inherently socially and economically sustainable. In view of the empirical negations of the inherence of ecological sustainability in frugal innovation, I recommend the use of the term “ecological sustainable frugal innovation” for frugal innovation with a positive connection to ecological sustainability. Research implications and issues for future research relating to ecological sustainable frugal innovation, like voluntary simplicity, degrowth, (alternative to) planned obsolescence, and circular economy are presented.