Redefining ReSPONSIVE framework of frugal innovation by incorporating digital technologies

Abstract

Frugal innovation has been a critical factor in meeting the needs of the broader community in regions with severe resource constraints. This method promised alternatives to existing solutions which usually were out of reach of the target group. However, frugal innovation in today’s world can be used in a wide variety of settings where the fundamental theme is to do more with less. So much so that even developed countries have started considering frugal innovations in various domains to offer more excellent value to lower or existing costsi . Given the growing appeal of frugal innovation, an advancement that could redefine the entire process and boost its outcome is the advent of digital technologies. Digital technologies offer the liberty of questioning the fundamental assumptions about frugal innovation apart from offering avenues to scale the impact and reach of these innovations. This project attempts to throw some light on how digital is impacting frugal innovation, through the lens of ReSPONSIVE framework. Even though the overall impact is significant, there are specific sector-specific nuances that all together need to be understood to capture the value created in each sector. To this end, we have tried to perform a deep dive into the health care sector to analyze the benefits of digital technologies.