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On the Delivery of Pro-Poor Innovations: Managerial Lessons from Sanitation Activists in India

Author

Listed:
  • Ramani, Shyama

    (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • SadreGhazi, Shuan

    (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University)

  • Duysters, Geert

    (UNU-MERIT, Maastricht University, and Eindhoven University of Technology)

Abstract

There is an emerging body of literature that examines how pro-poor product innovations should be created and what business models should accompany them. However, there is little on actual implementation practises and the present paper attempts to fill this void by analyzing the findings of the literature and confronting them with the actual field practises of sanitation activists in India. It demonstrates that the common thread that unifies progressive sanitation activists is their adoption of a 'market based approach'. Market failures stemming from the demand side are shown to be due to problems of expressions of demand and their mismatch with perceptions of the value of the innovation. It also identifies how activists go beyond the academic model of assessing need, appropriateness of technology and demand to include practises for 'accompaniment', 'sustainable maintenance' and 'generation of knowledge, demand and innovation spillovers' in an endogenous fashion, providing an alternative to the 'centralized platform delivery' model.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramani, Shyama & SadreGhazi, Shuan & Duysters, Geert, 2010. "On the Delivery of Pro-Poor Innovations: Managerial Lessons from Sanitation Activists in India," MERIT Working Papers 2010-018, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2010018
    as

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    File URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2010/wp2010-018.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Richard Franceys & Almud Weitz, 2003. "Public-private community partnerships in infrastructure for the poor," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(8), pages 1083-1098.
    4. Allen L. Hammond & William J. Kramer & Robert S. Katz & Julia T. Tran & Courtland Walker, 2007. "The Next 4 Billion," Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization, MIT Press, vol. 2(1-2), pages 147-158, April.
    5. Ronald U. Mendoza & Nina Thelen, 2008. "Innovations to Make Markets More Inclusive for the Poor," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 26(4), pages 427-458, July.
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    7. Bertrand, Marianne & Shafir, Eldar & Mullainathan, Sendhil, 2006. "Behavioral Economics and Marketing in Aid of Decision Making Among the Poor," Scholarly Articles 2962609, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    8. David Spielman & Klaus Grebmer, 2006. "Public–Private Partnerships in International Agricultural Research: An Analysis of Constraints," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 291-300, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jorge Nogueira de Paiva Britto & Marco Antonio Vargas, 2015. "A systemic innovation policy with an inclusive perspective: The evolution of the Brazilian policy to the pharmaceutical sector," Globelics Working Paper Series 2015-07, Globelics - Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems, Aalborg University, Department of Business and Management.
    2. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2012. "Frugal Innovation: A Global Networks’ Perspective," Die Unternehmung - Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 66(3), pages 245-274.
    3. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2012. "Open global innovation networks as enablers of frugal innovation: propositions based on evidence from India," Working Papers 72, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pro-Poor Innovation; Sanitation; Delivery; Bottom of the Pyramid; implementation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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