scholarly journals Defining frugal innovation: a critical review

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 647-656
Author(s):  
Chandni N Hindocha ◽  
Grazia Antonacci ◽  
James Barlow ◽  
Matthew Harris
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Critical Review ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Frugal Innovation ◽  
Support Strategies ◽  
Low Income Consumers ◽  
Common Understanding ◽  
And Diffusion

Frugal innovation (FI), which has gained traction in various sectors, is loosely defined as developing quality solutions in a resource-constrained environment that are affordable to low-income consumers. However, with its popularity, multiple and diverse definitions have emerged that often lack a theoretical foundation. This has led to a convoluted conceptualisation that hinders research and adoption in practice. Despite this plethora of perspectives and definitions, scholars do agree that there is a need for a unified definition. This critical review across the management, entrepreneurship, business and organisation studies literatures explores the multiple definitions of FI that have appeared in the last two decades and seeks to examine the commonalities and differences. One definition is supported by a theoretical underpinning, and main themes include affordability, adaptability, resource scarcity, accessibility and sustainability, however, there remains significant ambiguity around what constitutes an FI. Defining FI as a concept should not deter from focusing on its core aim and identifying an FI may be best achieved by comparing it to an incumbent alternative, rather than against an ill-defined concept. There is merit in developing a common understanding of FI to support strategies for its successful acceptance and diffusion globally.

Relying on frugality as a cornerstone of scalability

2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 17-18
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Innovation Strategy ◽  
Frugal Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Developed Markets ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Low Income Consumers ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings The review is based on “In search of the frugal innovation strategy” by Santos et al. (2020), published in “Review of International Business and Strategy.” This literature review paper concentrates on explaining that pursuing frugal innovation involves developing products and services, in a tightly resource-constrained environment, that are both affordable and sufficiently high quality to cater for low income consumers. Pursuing such a frugal innovation strategy is originated in emerging markets but can also translate across to developed markets and their value-seeking consumers. The study's results reveal that frugal innovation is most effective for executing innovation in products and processes. Original/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Diffusion and Adoption of Corruption in Developing Economies: Evidence from Ghana

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Solomon A. Keelson ◽  
Thomas Cudjoe ◽  
Manteaw Joy Tenkoran
Keyword(s):  
Social Values ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Developing Economy ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Institutional Failure ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Diffusion

The present study investigates diffusion and adoption of corruption and factors that influence the rate of adoption of corruption in Ghana. In the current study, the diffusion and adoption of corruption and the factors that influence the speed with which corruption spreads in society is examined within Ghana as a developing economy. Data from public sector workers in Ghana are used to conduct the study. Our findings based on the results from One Sample T-Test suggest that corruption is perceived to be high in Ghana and diffusion and adoption of corruption has witnessed appreciative increases. Social and institutional factors seem to have a larger influence on the rate of corruption adoption than other factors. These findings indicate the need for theoretical underpinning in policy formulation to face corruption by incorporating the relationship between the social values and institutional failure, as represented by the rate of corruption adoption in developing economies.

scholarly journals Food insecurity among Finnish private sector service workers and food pantry clients

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Erkkola ◽  
L Uusitalo ◽  
K Puputti ◽  
T Saari ◽  
P Jallinoja ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Perceived Health ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Considerable Proportion ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Service Workers ◽  
Food Pantry ◽  
Sector Service

Abstract Background There is a paucity of comparable quantitative data on the prevalence and predictors of food insecurity in high-income countries. We applied the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) to assess food insecurity among i) the Service Union United members; female-dominated, low-income employees of the Finnish private service sector, and ii) a convenience sample of Finnish food pantry clients. Methods The HFIAS classification was based on 9 validated questions capturing respondents' perceptions on food scarcity and behavioural responses to food insecurity due to lack of resources during the past month. The resulting indicator categorized respondents as food secure, and mildly, moderately and severely food insecure. We performed cross-tabulations and regression models to assess if education, housing, self-perceived health, income, and resource scarcity associated with levels of food insecurity. In addition, gender, age, and self-perceived disadvantage were assessed among the food pantry clients. Results Among the service workers (n = 6 573, 6% of those invited), 35% were food secure, 29% mildly or moderately food insecure, and 36% severely food insecure. The respective proportions were 28%, 26%, and 46% among the 129 food pantry clients. All assessed variables were associated to food insecurity status in the service workers (p < 0.01 for all). Among the food pantry clients, men (OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.09 − 4.80) and homeless/tenants in community rental units (OR 7.12; 95% CI 2.42 − 20.95) were most likely to experience severe food insecurity. Conclusions Alongside the food pantry clients the majority of the service workers demonstrated some degree of food insecurity, with a considerable proportion being severely food-insecure. This predominantly low-income group is subject to rapid changes in the labour market and social security systems. The data demonstrated that well-known SES indicators and self-perceived health are linked to food insecurity. Key messages Severe food insecurity was common among predominantly low-income private sector service workers and food pantry clients. Food insecurity is linked to SES indicators and wellbeing.

The Role of Behavioral Frictions in Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment and Risk: Evidence from a Field Experiment

2021 ◽  
Vol 111 (5) ◽  
pp. 1549-1574
Author(s):  
Richard Domurat ◽  
Isaac Menashe ◽  
Wesley Yin
Keyword(s):  
Health Insurance ◽  
Field Experiment ◽  
Positive Selection ◽  
Adverse Selection ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Market Risk ◽  
Selection Model ◽  
Heterogeneous Effects ◽  
Low Income Consumers

We experimentally varied information mailed to 87,000 households in California’s health insurance marketplace to study the role of frictions in insurance take-up. Reminders about the enrollment deadline raised enrollment by 1.3 pp (16 percent) in this typically low take-up population. Heterogeneous effects of personalized subsidy information indicate misperceptions about program benefits. Consistent with an adverse selection model with frictional enrollment costs, the intervention lowered average spending risk by 5.1 percent, implying that marginal respondents were 37 percent less costly than inframarginal consumers. We observe the largest positive selection among low income consumers, who exhibit the largest frictions in enrollment. Finally, we estimate the implied value of the letter intervention to be $25 to $53 per month in subsidy dollars. These results suggest that frictions may partially explain low take-up for marketplace insurance, and that interventions reducing them can improve enrollment and market risk in exchanges. (JEL C93, G22, G52, H75, I13)

Regulatory focus and construal level theory on low-income consumer indebtedness: Evidence from an emerging market

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrícia de Oliveira Campos ◽  
Marconi Freitas da Costa
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Psychological Distance ◽  
Construal Level Theory ◽  
Construal Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Low Income Consumers

PurposeThis study aims to further analyse the decision-making process of low-income consumer from an emerging market by verifying the influence of regulatory focus and construal level theory on indebtedness.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental study was carried out with a design 2 (regulatory focus: promotion vs prevention) × 2 (psychological distance: high vs low) between subjects, with 140 low-income consumers.FindingsOur study points out that the propensity towards indebtedness of low-income consumer is higher in a distal psychological distance. We found that promotion and prevention groups have the same propensity to indebtedness. Moreover, we highlight that low-income consumers are prone to propensity to indebtedness due to taking decisions focused on the present with an abstract mindset.Social implicationsFinancial awareness advertisements should focus on providing more concrete strategies in order to reduce decision-making complexity and provide ways to reduce competing situations that could deplete self-regulation resources. Also, public policy should organize educational programs to increase the low-income consumer's ability to deal with personal finances and reduce this task complexity. Finally, educational financial programs should also incorporate psychology professionals to teach mindfulness techniques applied to financial planning.Originality/valueThis study is the first to consider regulatory focus and construal level to explain low-income indebtedness. This paper provides a deeper analysis of the low-income consumers' decision process. Also, it supports and guides future academic and decision-making efforts.

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