Handbook on Frugal Innovation

This pioneering handbook details the origins of the concept of frugal innovation, its emergence as an academic field of interest, and the main driving forces behind it. The book presents new empirical evidence and critical perspectives on what frugal innovation entails, from disciplines such as science and engineering, humanities, and social sciences.

Analysing case studies on frugal innovation from across the globe, this Handbook assesses the role of innovation in addressing societal challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. Chapters examine key topics in the field, covering gender as a lens for frugal innovation, managing frugal innovation for sustainable development, design and engineering in frugal product formation, and the global markets for frugal innovation policies. Contributors pay specific attention to the role of technology as an enabler for frugal innovation, and the institutional and social contexts in which it takes place.
 
 
Providing a comprehensive overview of frugal innovation, this handbook will be essential reading for academics and students in the fields of development economics, business and management studies and organisational innovation. It will also be beneficial for policymakers and government officials interested in perspectives on innovation that could be instrumental in the formation and implementation of innovation policies.
 
Tenth anniversary ICFI
The first book was presented to Annetje Ottow, President of the Executive Board of Leiden University, by two of the four editors, André Leliveld and Saradindu Bhaduri, during a festive event on 2 November 2023 in honour of the 10th anniversary of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus International Centre for Frugal Innovation (ICFI) in which the ASCL participates.
 

Author(s) / editor(s)

A. Leliveld, S. Bhaduri, P. Knorringa & C. van Beers

About the author(s) / editor(s)

André Leliveld is a development economist and does research on informal insurance and social-support systems and community-based (health) insurance schemes in Africa. Since 2014 he is Associate Director of the Leiden-Delft-Erasmus International Centre for Frugal Innovation.

Saradindu Bhapuri is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Studies in Science Policy and Coordinator of the JNU-ICFI Transdisciplinary Research Cluster on Frugality Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.

Peter Knorringa is a Professor of Private Sector and Development at the International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, and Academic Director of the International Centre for Frugal Innovation.

Cees van Beers is a Professor of Innovation Economics and Management at the Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management at Delft University of Technology, and Co-leader of the International Centre for Frugal Innovation.

Full text, catalogue, and publisher website

Publisher website: 
Edward Elgar Publishing

How to order

Order this book with the publisher (£ 180,-, chapter 1 and 2 open access).

Posted on 3 November 2023, last modified on 12 January 2024