IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/tuhtim/104.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Soft power of frugal innovation and its potential role in India's emergence as a global lead market for affordable excellence

Author

Listed:
  • Tiwari, Rajnish
  • Prabhu, Jaideep

Abstract

The phenomenon of frugal innovation, as characterized by "affordable excellence", is experiencing increasing acceptance by business leaders, policy makers and scholars around the world. Frugal products, services and technologies strive to radically increase affordability while significantly reducing their environmental footprint through careful and prudent use of resources. It is expected that frugal solutions will be increasingly necessary in both the developed and developing world to ensure social inclusion, environmental sustainability and continued economic growth. Traditionally, frugality has been regarded as a social virtue in India and the socio-cultural context of the country provides a fertile environment for the development of frugal products and services. Not surprisingly, considerable research shows that discussions of frugal innovations have been closely associated with India. This concept has now begun to spread to other developing and industrialized nations. A primary objective of this conceptual paper is to showcase how frugal innovations emanating from India have found acceptance in other corners of the world and why they contribute to India's soft power on a global stage. We argue that frugal innovations can potentially provide a useful medium for a benevolent power that aims to promote peaceful coexistence, inclusive growth and prosperity around the world. Indian firms and policymakers should not become complacent about their existing businesses and fail to comprehend the importance of frugal innovation. They would be well advised to retain their focus on creating customer value and avoid falling prey to the dominant logic of potentially wasteful, unsustainable and exclusive innovation approaches. Instead of focusing on delivering "more for more for few" they should rather continue to focus on delivering "more for less for many". The demand for affordable and sustainable excellence is sure to grow globally and India can establish itself as a global soft power in the process.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiwari, Rajnish & Prabhu, Jaideep, 2018. "Soft power of frugal innovation and its potential role in India's emergence as a global lead market for affordable excellence," Working Papers 104, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:tuhtim:104
    DOI: 10.15480/882.1737
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/182008/1/1029761574.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.15480/882.1737?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nye, Joseph S., 2008. "Public Diplomacy and Soft Power," Scholarly Articles 11738397, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    2. Aditi Ramdorai & Cornelius Herstatt, 2015. "Frugal Innovation in Healthcare," India Studies in Business and Economics, Springer, edition 127, number 978-3-319-16336-9, January.
    3. Beise, Marian, 2004. "Lead markets: country-specific drivers of the global diffusion of innovations," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6-7), pages 997-1018, September.
    4. Jaideep Prabhu & Sanjay Jain, 2015. "Innovation and entrepreneurship in India: Understanding jugaad," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 32(4), pages 843-868, December.
    5. Rajnish Tiwari, 2017. "Frugality in Indian Context: What Makes India a Lead Market for Affordable Excellence?," India Studies in Business and Economics, in: Cornelius Herstatt & Rajnish Tiwari (ed.), Lead Market India, pages 37-61, Springer.
    6. Daniel Tobias Hagenau & Rajnish Tiwari, 2017. "Made in India for the World: An Empirical Investigation into Novelty and Nature of Innovations," India Studies in Business and Economics, in: Cornelius Herstatt & Rajnish Tiwari (ed.), Lead Market India, pages 163-192, Springer.
    7. Sanjaya Lall, 1981. "Developing Countries as Exporters of Industrial Technology," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Developing Countries in the International Economy, chapter 8, pages 228-256, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Jaideep Prabhu & Paul Tracey & Magda Hassan, 2017. "Marketing to the poor: an institutional model of exchange in emerging markets," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 7(3), pages 101-122, December.
    9. Gerard George & Anita M. McGahan & Jaideep Prabhu, 2012. "Innovation for Inclusive Growth: Towards a Theoretical Framework and a Research Agenda," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 661-683, June.
    10. Raymond Vernon, 1966. "International Investment and International Trade in the Product Cycle," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 80(2), pages 190-207.
    11. Ajey Lele, 2013. "Asian Space Race: Rhetoric or Reality?," Springer Books, Springer, edition 127, number 978-81-322-0733-7, January.
    12. Tiwari, Rajnish & Kalogerakis, Katharina, 2017. "Innovation pathways and trajectories in India's auto component industry," Working Papers 98, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    13. Rajnish Tiwari & Cornelius Herstatt, 2014. "Aiming Big with Small Cars," India Studies in Business and Economics, Springer, edition 127, number 978-3-319-02066-2, January.
    14. Herstatt, Cornelius & Tiwari, Rajnish & Buse, Stephan, 2008. "India's National Innovation System: Key elements and corporate perspectives," Working Papers 51, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    15. Rajnish Tiwari & Bhimsen Dattatraya Phadnis, 2017. "Commercial Vehicle Industry in India: An Investigation of the Innovation and Business Trends (2000–2015)," India Studies in Business and Economics, in: Cornelius Herstatt & Rajnish Tiwari (ed.), Lead Market India, pages 239-254, Springer.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Tiwari, Rajnish & Kalogerakis, Katharina, 2016. "A bibliometric analysis of academic papers on frugal innovation," Working Papers 93, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    2. Tiwari, Rajnish & Bergmann, Stephan, 2018. "What pathways lead to frugal innovation? Some insights on modes & routines of frugal, technical inventions based on an analysis of patent data in German auto components industry," Working Papers 105, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    3. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2011. "Lead market factors for global innovation: Emerging evidence from India," Working Papers 61, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    4. Tiwari, Rajnish, 2016. "India's potential as a lead market for frugal innovation and the role of socio-cultural context factors," Working Papers 94, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    5. Achtelik, Timo & Herstatt, Cornelius & Tiwari, Rajnish, 2022. "Frugal sustainability: A new perspective to foster corporate sustainability," Working Papers 112, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management, revised 2022.
    6. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2012. "India - a lead market for frugal innovations? Extending the lead market theory to emerging economies," Working Papers 67, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    7. Tiwari, Rajnish & Herstatt, Cornelius, 2011. "Role of "Lead Market" factors in globalization of innovation: Emerging evidence from India & its implications," Working Papers 64, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    8. Tiwari, Rajnish & Kalogerakis, Katharina, 2017. "Innovation pathways and trajectories in India's auto component industry," Working Papers 98, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    9. Andrea Coveri & Antonello Zanfei, 2023. "Who wins the race for knowledge-based competitiveness? Comparing European and North American FDI patterns," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(1), pages 292-330, February.
    10. Beise, Marian & Cleff, Thomas, 2004. "Assessing the lead market potential of countries for innovation projects," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 453-477.
    11. Saon Ray & Smita Miglani, 2018. "Upgrading in the Indian automobile sector: The role of lead firms," Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) Working Paper 360, Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi, India.
    12. Achcaoucaou, Fariza & Miravitlles, Paloma & León-Darder, Fidel, 2014. "Knowledge sharing and subsidiary R&D mandate development: A matter of dual embeddedness," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 76-90.
    13. Rosca, Eugenia & Agarwal, Nivedita & Brem, Alexander, 2020. "Women entrepreneurs as agents of change: A comparative analysis of social entrepreneurship processes in emerging markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    14. Walz, Rainer & Helfrich, Nicki & Enzmann, Alexander, 2009. "A system dynamics approach for modelling a lead-market-based export potential," Working Papers "Sustainability and Innovation" S3/2009, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
    15. 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.
    16. Paul J.J. Welfens, 2016. "Qualitätswettbewerb, Produktinnovationen und Schumpetersche Prozesse in internationalen Märkten," EIIW Discussion paper disbei220, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.
    17. Onsongo, Elsie K. & Knorringa, Peter & van Beers, Cees, 2023. "Frugal business model innovation in the Base of the Pyramid: The case of Philips Community Life Centres in Africa," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    18. Sanjay Jain, 2022. "From jugaad to jugalbandi: Understanding the changing nature of Indian innovation," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(1), pages 1-26, March.
    19. Kalogerakis, Katharina & Fischer, Luise & Tiwari, Rajnish, 2017. "A comparison of German and Indian innovation pathways in the auto component industry," Working Papers 100, Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH), Institute for Technology and Innovation Management.
    20. Rainer Walz, 2006. "Impact of Strategies to Increase Res in Europe on Employment and Competitiveness," Energy & Environment, , vol. 17(6), pages 951-975, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Frugal Innovation; Lead Markets; Resource-constrained Innovation; Reverse Innovation; Soft Power; Frugality; Culture;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:tuhtim:104. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ittuhde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.