Overview

In light of the tremendous growth of frugal product and process innovations in both emerging markets and economies in the Global North, this book offers a clear understanding of this new direction of technological change within a Schumpeterian analytical framework. Characterising frugal innovation as a new technological paradigm, it illuminates the relationship between frugality and sustainability. Using important case studies from around the globe, Christian Le Bas explores the key characteristics of frugal innovations: products with fewer artefacts, decreasing technological complexity and design simplification. Chapters systematically synthesise economic knowledge on the topic, mapping the environmentally positive consequences of frugal innovation and identifying the crucial socio-economic and ecological contemporary issues that frugal innovation can help resolve. Concise and timely, this book will be a useful resource for economics and management scholars and students. The tools for understanding the nature and scope of frugal innovation, as well as insights on sustainable innovation, also make this an important read for managers, decision-makers and stakeholders.

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9781035302321

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Reviews

'This is a fresh and important addition to the literature on frugal innovation. Christian Le Bas has done an excellent job in bringing key elements of the economics of frugal innovation together. This book will be a reference on any economics of innovation bookshelf.' -- Alexander Brem, University of Stuttgart, Germany

'This fascinating book by Christian Le Bas unveils a radical change in the direction of product innovation: frugal innovation. New frugal products, more durable, simple, effective, essential compete with more sophisticated but more expensive goods. This is critical for developing economies but is becoming crucial for a large share of the demand of developed ones. The author has opened a new Pandora's box in the economics of innovation.' -- Cristiano Antonelli, University of Torino and Collegio Carlo Alberto, Italy 'This is a fresh and important addition to the literature on frugal innovation. Christian Le Bas has done an excellent job in bringing key elements of the economics of frugal innovation together. This book will be a reference on any economics of innovation bookshelf.' -- Alexander Brem, University of Stuttgart, Germany

Author Information

Christian Le Bas, Professor of Economics, ESDES Lyon Business School, Lyon Catholic University, France

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