The triggers, motivations, experiments, diffusions, and stakeholders of frugal innovation what we Learn from Thai case studies

Abstract

Frugal innovators creatively apply existing technologies to address local challenges, effectively reducing costs and optimizing performance. This approach is crucial in developing countries, providing cost-effective solutions to resource scarcity, especially for people experiencing poverty. However, research on the frugal innovation process, especially these innovators' motivations and the stakeholders' roles, remains limited. This article examines the frugal innovation process with a focus on two main aspects: (1) the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of Thai frugal innovators across the stages of idea generation, experimentation, and application, and (2) the roles played by stakeholders in these processes. Four cases of frugal innovation awarded by Ch. Karnchang Public Company are analyzed and categorized into three groups: non-commercial frugal innovation, commercialized frugal innovation as the primary income source, and commercialized frugal innovation as the supplementing income. Interviews with innovators reveal that motivations vary by commercial purposes and innovation stages. Intrinsic motivation is stronger during experimentation and application stages for non-commercial frugal innovation. In contrast, extrinsic motivation dominates in commercialized innovations. Additionally, stakeholder collaboration in fostering frugal innovation in Thailand is limited. These insights on motivations and stakeholder roles expand understanding of frugal innovation models.