Frugal Innovation Literature & Language Essay Paper

Frugal Innovation: An Analysis
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Frugal Innovation
Emerging economies are experiencing a tremendous population growth despite being low-income markets with most of their population earning the minimum wage. As such, frugal innovation has become an essential innovation approach in the developing as well as the emerging markets due to its reduced cost approach. Frugal innovation, also referred to as Jugaad innovation is a customer/consumer based innovation that employs affordability and sustainability through the use of low-cost manufacturing and component minimization techniques (Muthu and Savalani, 2016). This paper synthesizes frugal innovation with a holistic view of additive manufacturing, also known as three-dimension (3D) printing as an important concept with various applications and societal impact, especially in emerging economies.
The societal impact of frugal innovation is the biggest driver and product demand determinant as the societal strives to solve various challenges using minimal resources. Muthu and Savalani (2016) define frugality as a concept in design and engineering that applies the limited available resources while eliminating possible inefficient factors that could compromise the critical features of the final product. Bhatti (2011) defines frugal innovation as an innovation that provides practical solutions to challenges using limited resources in underprivileged areas. Sam Pitroda an Indian visionary frugal leader, has identified three challenges associated with the Western innovation. They include: They are expensive with humungous amounts going towards research and development, their complex and restrictive processes making their innovative process slow and lastly their access is limited to a smaller number of consumers (Pierre, 2014). Frugal innovation promotes inclusiveness especially in low income areas becoming a good agent for poverty eradication.
The frugal approach in innovation targets the use of variations in the quantity and quality of materials used in manufacturing based on their availability and requirements in various tasks. According to Singh (2013), a resourceful inventor known as Kodjo Afate Gnikou from Togo West African assembled and recycled old e-waste computers, computer components, printers, scanners and diskette from the garbage and converted them into a new, working and relatively cheap 3D printer. This is a perfect example of frugal innovation in action helping the local community. Likewise, Maric, Rodhain, and Barlette (2016) posits that the 3D printer is a frugal innovation that represents the development of a quality product in an environment coupled with inadequate resources – Togo, using reduced cost in manufacturing, research and development as well as minimal time. As a frugal innovation, the 3D printer has successfully offered inexpensive solutions to various local challenges at relatively low costs.
Leveraging on 3D printing technology has enabled the emerging economies to bridge the development capabilities with their counterparts in developed markets. For example, locals in developing countries can get quality products and services taking advantage of the available opportunities at lower prices. High capability and quality products developed through 3D printing is possible through “mass customization and reduced production costs” in comparison with the traditional manufacturing methods (Wittbrodt, Laureto, Tymrak and Pearce, 2015). The 3D printer qualifies to be a frugal innovation for enabling, both technically and economically, the manufacturing and distribution of top-notch quality products for household use allowing the local community to meet their needs at more cost-effective means (Singh, 2013). The superiority of quality of products, reduction of costs and manufacturing time as well as environmental benefits of 3D printing puts the innovation of the mainstream for mass adaptation of the technology.
Frugal innovation has mainly employed the idea of ‘do more with less for more,’ a perception that aims at solving complicated challenges faced by various low-income communities. Zeschky et al., (2011) posits that adapting to the concept of ‘do more with less for more’ demands a mindset that understands the challenges of consumers and thus creates high value-low cost products using various lost-cost processes designed to create solutions for challenges in a community. The idea is first to address various challenges faced by the poor and low-income members of the community and then address similar challenges faced by the community’s well-up members. Using computer-aided...