A Frugal Approach to Novelty: Patient-oriented Digital Health Initiatives Shaped by Affordable Losses and Alliances

In this article, the concept of effectuation is introduced to address the question of how innovations in health service organisations arise, in what circumstances, and what mix of factors tends to produce adoptable innovations. Our case study investigates an ongoing initiative to introduce patient-oriented web-based services in hospital settings. In the analysis of the case we point to the relation between the technologies employed and the tactics identified. Our analysis emphasises (1) the role of thinking in terms of affordable losses, (2) the role of alliance building (3) the role of flexible web-based technologies. Building on these core aspects we thematise frugal approaches to novelty and we propose that the concept of effectuation can be useful for exploring change dynamics that transcend the organic/planned and grassroots/top-down divides

Entrepreneurship as re-sourcing: Towards a new image of entrepreneurship in a time of financial, economic and socio-spatial crisis.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an understanding of entrepreneurship that can help researchers, policymakers and practitioners develop entrepreneurial responses to the current economic, environmental and socio-spatial crisis. Design/methodology/approach: The paper adopts a conceptual approach. Hudson's diagnosis of the current patterns of production is applied to the two dominant streams of theorising on entrepreneurship: the opportunistic discovery view and the resourcefulness view of, for example, effectuation. Findings: The analysis indicates that the opportunistic discovery view and, to some extent, the resourcefulness view are both inadequate as conceptual platforms for entrepreneurial responses to the economic, environmental and socio-spatial crisis. Instead, an alternative perspective on entrepreneurship is developed: Entrepreneurship as re-sourcing. The perspective emphasises the importance of building regional-level resilience through entrepreneurial activity that sources resources from new places and uses these resources to create multiple forms of value. Practical implications: The paper draws attention to dysfunctions in the current theorising on entrepreneurship in light of the economic, environmental and socio-spatial crisis. Instead, the authors offer an alternative. In doing so, the paper also points to the difficult trade-offs that exist between, for example, long-term resilience and short-term competitiveness and growth on a regional, as well as firm level. Originality/value: This paper adds to research by offering an alternative view of entrepreneurship grounded, not in economics but in economic geography, thus highlighting the importance of productions' grounding in material reality and the importance of addressing non-economic concerns in our way of thinking about entrepreneurship

The Art of Enabling Reverse Innovation : a Complexity-Based Approach

“If you hear advice from a grandmother or elders, odds are that it works 90 percent of the time. On the other hand, in part because of scientism and academic prostitution, in part because the world is hard, if you read anything by psychologists and behavioral scientists, odds are that works at less than 10 percent.” Nassim Nicholas Taleb in Skin in the Game. This chapter is neither praise for grandmothers nor an argument against science and academic institutions. This chapter is about reverse innovation. Reverse innovation is an innovation for the poor that potentially transforms the lives of the people in rich countries (Govindarajan & Trimble 2015). Innovation is called ‘reverse’ as it challenges many assumptions about how innovations originate and diffuse. A car that costs only 2000 USD or a portable electrocardiogram (ECG) for less than 1000 dollars are tempting value propositions, which will also be noticed in economically developed countries. Grandmothers can play important roles in reverse innovation as they can help to understand the lived experiences in the particular context. On the other hand, academic research is needed and/or requires for the generalization of the particularities with concerns or observations

A bricolage perspective on technological innovation in emerging markets

Due to endogenous and exogenous constraints, companies from emerging markets often adopt surprising and unconventional strategies for their innovative efforts. Various concepts such as jugaad, frugal, and cost innovation have been coined to describe technological innovations originating from emerging markets. However, the organisational and inter-organisational processes underpinning the development of product innovations in emerging markets remain unclear. Consequently, the practical value of these concepts remains limited in the absence of specific insights and guidelines regarding replicable activities that managers can undertake to achieve cost-driven, innovative outcomes. [Continues.

Entrepreneurship through Bricolage. A Study of Displaced Entrepreneurs at Times of War and Conflict

War and conflict brings about adverse changes for those who are displaced. How do entrepreneurial individuals respond to such adversity to either set-up, or continue with their existing entrepreneurial endeavours that would improve their own livelihood or that of others who have been affected? Whilst previous studies have found local knowledge, networks and resources to be crucial in the development of ventures in the war and conflict context, alienation from mainstream society within the host location often means that to succeed, those who are displaced require alternative strategies and approaches. Through examining the entrepreneurship ventures of six internally displaced entrepreneurs in Pakistan, our study identifies that entrepreneurial individuals find different ways to adapt to the new order, with both internal and external bricolage becoming the key strategies deployed to either re-establish their previous business(es) or to develop new endeavour(s) in the host location. To compensate for lack of local knowledge, networks and resources, we found that entrepreneurs followed closely their previous paths in their bricolage attempts, relying on reconfigurations of their pre-existing competencies, as well as utilising pre-established and clandestine networks

The co-creation of social ventures through bricolage, for the displaced, by the displaced

Purpose Although scholars have investigated how social entrepreneurs create and develop social enterprises in the penurious stable environment, how they are created in the penurious unstable environment has yet been overlooked. The purpose of this paper is to address this research gap by exploring how internally displaced individuals, despite the lack of resources, create and develop a social enterprise to serve the other displaced population in the war and conflict zones. Design/methodology/approach Underpinned by a biographical research design, in-depth interviews with internally displaced individuals who have created social enterprises in the war and conflict zones were undertaken. Three social entrepreneurs were chosen for this study from three different social enterprises that are created by internally displaced individuals to serve the other internally displaced people of three different countries, namely, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria. Findings The single and cross-case analysis found that internally displaced individuals deploy bricolage strategy, for example, reconfiguration of pre-existing resources and competencies (both internal and external), to start up a social venture in the war and conflict zones. They utilise pre-existing internal resources, mainly human capital, and external resources, through a frugal approach towards resources acquisitions. The authors also found that the displaced social entrepreneurs utilise resources of other displaced individuals, for example, networks, volunteers, local knowledge and financial supports mainly from older arrivals, and develop their own enterprise ecosystem within the host location to co-create and co-develop social enterprise and social values for all of them. Research limitations/implications The findings show that internally displaced individuals utilise bricolage strategies to create and develop socially entrepreneurial venture to serve other internally displaced individuals in the war and conflict zones. As the findings are based on three case studies, for confirmatory approach, a quantitative study with a large sample size is necessary. Furthermore, as the differences in economic, cultural and linguistic in between the home and host locations can have impact on the creation and the development of a social venture, they should be considered in the future studies. Originality/value This study contributes to the limited literature and studies on social entrepreneurship, specifically, to the context of unstable penurious environment. It also contributes to the literature on bricolage by extending its application from penurious stable environment to the penurious unstable environment. By exploring what and how internal and external resources are utilised to create and develop a socially entrepreneurial venture in a war and conflict zones, this study has added value to the literature on not only bricolage but also entrepreneurship in war and conflict zones

Can value creation through socially motivated entrepreneurship stimulate inclusionist change at the socio-economic base of the pyramid? Socially inspired entrepreneurship in Namibia: an action research inquiry-based account

The present cross-cultural insider action research single-case study was physically conducted in a Namibian township. The thesis analyzes the double bottom-line dilemma, encountered in the YOOR beauty and hairdresser salon’s socially motivated entrepreneurship venture, trading in the disfranchised Omaruru ‘Location’, Namibia. The double bottom-line dilemma addresses value capture through simultaneous pursuit of social and economic goals in social entrepreneurship. The objective of this action research study was to remediate the social entrepreneurial venture’s chronic double bottom-line underperformance. Undertaking action research requires inquiring into the unfolding change process that emerges from an action intervention. Based on this premise, the present study’s objective was to identify and describe contextually relevant change factors. These factors consisted of facilitators and inhibitors, simultaneously emerging from and operating within the specific situated research content, context, and process. The author of the present study adopts a theoretical position, grounded in pragmatism. Pragmatism is a practice-based perspective, embracing social entrepreneurship as an entirely process-driven activity. The present study is a mono-method single-strand study, conducted entirely within the qualitative research tradition. Methodologically, the research approach consisted of the physical conduct of a single case study, embedded in an action research initiative. In the research process, the researcher conducted two concurrent action research cycles with study participants originating from the Omaruru ‘Location’ community. Information and data were collected by means of semi-structured individual and focus group interviews and from action learning-set activities with study participants working in the business. Information and data were evaluated via thematic analysis, consisting of the template analysis technique. In terms of research originality, interview and action intervention outcomes were at times surprising, disrupting or both. In the process, the outcomes from taking action informed the research collective in the elaboration of appropriate change interventions. Finally, from an ex-post action intervention evaluation and organizational life-cycle perspective, the presented action research project successfully improved the business’s double bottom-line performance

POST-PANDEMIC INNOVATION PRACTICES IN MICRO, SMALL, AND MEDIUM-SIZED FIRMS IN THE STATE OF GUANAJUATO

The pandemic caused by the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has compelled many companies to prioritize innovation strategies in order to survive. Consequently, this cross-sectional empirical study employed a quantitative approach to assess the level of innovation achieved through frugal innovation practices by micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the post-pandemic era in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. A survey-type questionnaire was randomly administered to a sample of 58 companies. Stepwise discriminant analysis, utilizing Wilks' Lambda method, was applied to analyze the data. The results demonstrate that, during the crisis, the most influential variables in explaining the level of innovation are the significant reduction in the price of products or services and their durability, both regarded as frugal innovation practices. Consequently, decision-makers should establish frugal ecosystems that enable cost reduction while emphasizing the functionality and performance of their products or services

The influence of entrepreneurial bricolage and design thinking on opportunity development

Background: Entrepreneurial activity in an efficiency-driven economy is fundamental to economic growth, yet its sustainability and opportunities are concerning. Both entrepreneurial bricolage and design thinking could enhance opportunity development, but their effectiveness and incorporation into an integrated approach to opportunity advancement require further investigation. Aim: This study explores design thinking and entrepreneurial bricolage as facilitating constructs for entrepreneurial opportunity development, employing the design-centred entrepreneurship perspective and the conceptual framework offered by various authors; it investigates the effectiveness of the theoretical frameworks mentioned; and lastly it explores the potential of amalgamating these frameworks into a more comprehensive structure for entrepreneurial opportunity development. Setting: The sample consisted of entrepreneurs in South Africa. Methods: Fourteen semi-structured interviews with founders of small and medium entrepreneurial ventures in various South African industry sectors were conducted. Results: Current frameworks pertaining to bricolage and design thinking proficiencies were appropriate for opportunity development and could be effectively integrated. However, some contributory factors should be included, such as organisational culture, business partners and a non-linear rather than a methodical approach. Conclusion: Entrepreneurial bricolage has a significant influence on developing and establishing opportunities. The value of design thinking was confirmed with a specific focus on a human-centred approach, creativity and innovation. However, contradictory to design thinking authors, entrepreneurs described the design thinking process as non-linear and disordered. Contribution: This study provides empirical evidence to enrich the understanding of the elusive entrepreneurial opportunity development process by integrating the design-centred entrepreneurship framework with the entrepreneurial bricolage perspective into a single, more comprehensive framework