Collective creative processes in underserved contexts. Lessons of grassroots frugal social innovations

When limited resources are available, creativity and imagination have better opportunities to develop. Through an emergent approach where the process is left free to unfold and rules are relaxed, new ideas transpire and innovation happens. A multiple case study in the townships of Cape Town, South Africa, will describe the evolution of three processes that brought innovations driven by active groups in their underserved communities. In particular, the unguided process approach allowed the innovations to unfold in an ecosystem characterized by frugality and by the desire to bring about social changes. The active collective participation and the social aims are the driving forces of the processes while their un-designed evolving development is the main element of innovation from the bottom. More than any information and communication technology creation

Manifestations and Measures of Frugal Innovations

In the opinion of many researchers, frugal innovations are often connected with sustainable development. This statement is proved by literature analysis, where frugality and frugal innovations are presented as a determinant of sustainable development. However, in most of the cases the lack of empirical evidence of this situation can be noticed. The article includes a review of the literature describing frugal innovation. In the article, the definitions of frugal innovations are compared with some empirical propositions for frugality measuring in the companies. The aim of the paper is to describe the issue of frugal innovation, its definitions, manifestations and ways of measuring. The reason of conducting the study is a desire of verification how deep is the issue analysed in the literature. In order to achieve the aim of the paper, the following objectives have been set: (1) to discuss current definitions of frugal innovations; (2) to present the ways how frugal innovations can be manifested; (3) to describe current propositions of frugal innovation measures and to discuss if can they be used to measure frugal innovation efficiency in the companies. The analysis is based on literature review. First of all, there is presented the method of the study and detailed description of the research sampling process. Presentation of frugal innovation definitions is the second step of the study. The next step is to show the most common manifestations of frugal innovations. Considerations about these two elements are the causes of identifying the measures, which helps to assess the efficiency of frugal innovations. The study confirms that there is still a huge demand for deeper investigation of the issue, because the current literature does not provide the comprehensive understanding of it. Paper type: systematic literature review

Digital Innovation: A Frugal Ecosystem Perspective

In this conceptual paper, we attempt to answer the question: How do firms develop frugal IT capabilities in a resource-constrained ecosystem? Frugal firms tend to successfully overcome severe infrastructure, financial, social, and technological constraints. Frugal IT Innovation” is a special case of frugal innovation where IT/IS play a pivotal, core role in enabling capabilities to overcome challenges of resource-constrained business environments. It is centered on development of products/services with a sharp focus on affordability, simplicity, and sustainability. Taking a digital ecodynamics perspective, we focus on the co-evolution of firm-level capabilities, the frugal ecosystem, and underlying IT systems to uncover how a dynamic, higher-order, frugal IT innovation capability (FITIC) drives firm performance. Due to unique ecosystem conditions, we measure firm performance by including social and environmental measures in addition to financial measures. The paper discusses ecosystem-wide implications and contributes to advancement of both theoretical and practice-based knowledge in this domain

When IT Evolves Beyond Community Needs: Coevolution of Bottom-Up IT Innovation and Communities

This paper examines how innovative uses of IT artifacts and their repurposing to fulfill emerging or unsatisfied user needs (bottom-up innovation, BUI) develop in community settings. Based on a longitudinal analysis of “HomeNets,” communities that developed residential internet access in Belarus over a 20-year period, we illustrate that the development of community BUI is driven not only by the needs of the innovating members but also by the interplay between the innovating members’ community context and technology and the interplay between the BUI technology and context. We demonstrate how these dynamics trigger community BUI development that goes beyond the needs and expectations of the innovating actors and impacts community evolution and long-term survival. Based on our findings, we develop a model of community BUI development. We discuss the theoretical implications of our findings, highlighting the role of technology and context in community BUI and its processual unfolding beyond the needs and intentions of the innovating members

The role of the marginalized and unusual suspects in the production of digital innovations: Models of innovation in an African context

The rapid proliferation of innovation concepts addressing experiences in the Global South raises crucial questions about the relevance of this phenomenon for development. In an effort to bring conceptual clarity, this paper reviews several related understandings of innovation and related approaches to, firstly, map overlaps and differences, and secondly, understand how they are situated within the development discourse. This study uses a literature review and applies thematic analysis in identifying the various innovation concepts, and the extent to which they include the marginalized in their framing and operationalization. In particular, this study evaluates whether these innovation concepts are framing innovation as something developed outside of poor communities but on behalf of them, whether innovation is designed alongside poor communities, or whether it is designed by and within poor communities. The findings of this study revealed that in most cases, these concepts are pro-poor, with very few exceptions of innovations done in collaboration with the poor, in a per-poor process

Business Leaders Marketing to Bottom-of-the-Pyramid Consumers in Nigeria

Business leaders often leave more than half of the world\u27s population the bottom of the pyramid (BOP), a $5-trillion market of potential consumers untapped for products and services on account of failing to see BOP markets as profitable for business, yet business leaders who have managed inclusive BOP marketing in Nigeria have experienced profit margins as high as 120%. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies of business leaders who market to BOP consumers in Nigeria and maintain a profit. The study population consisted of 3 business leaders in the Dallas and Fort Worth metropolitan area who marketed to BOP consumers in Nigeria and maintained a profit. The conceptual framework that grounded the study was BOP marketing theory. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews and company documents, with member checking implemented to strengthen creditability and trustworthiness. Based on the methodological triangulation of the data sources collected, 3 emergent themes were identified following 5 stages of data analysis. The themes were (a) maintain low profit margins in marketing essential items to the BOP in Nigeria, (b) maintain high profit margins in marketing to the non-BOP in Nigeria, and (c) market scaled-down products to the BOP in Nigeria. The findings from this study may contribute to social change by providing insights and strategies for business leaders seeking to prepare for and sustain profitability. The data from this study may contribute to higher profit margins for business leaders as well as job placement and entrepreneurship opportunities for the communities of Nigeria

A multi-sited ethnography of the decolonization of mobile media among Guaraní

Els moviments de drets indígenes d'Amèrica Llatina lluiten contra les hegemonies colonials que impregnen la vida contemporània. Mitjançant l'anàlisi particular dels pobles guaranís i les seves estratègies avançades, aquesta tesi aporta les primeres evidències sobre les implicacions de la descolonització dels serveis de comunicació mòbil. La tesi se centra en la política de les formes de comunicació interpersonal, un tema habitualment oblidat en els estudis sobre mitjans de comunicació indígenes. Adopta un enfocament crític i multilocal que combina la col·laboració comunitària amb l'anàlisi d'economia política. Els resultats comminen a qüestionar els discursos tecnooptimistes de la inclusió digital i a analitzar com la desigualtat condiciona la influència cívica sobre els mitjans. Cal destacar les connexions que aquesta tesi estableix entre factors clau que afecten la capacitat individual de decidir (o agència individual) sobre els serveis mòbils en el cas de les anomenades "perifèries digitals".Los movimientos de derechos indígenas de América Latina luchan contra las hegemonías coloniales que impregnan la vida contemporánea. Mediante el análisis particular de los pueblos guaraníes y sus estrategias avanzadas, esta tesis aporta las primeras evidencias sobre las implicaciones de la descolonización de los servicios de comunicación móvil. La tesis se centra en la política de los modos de comunicación interpersonal, un tema habitualmente ignorado en los estudios sobre medios de comunicación indígenas. Adopta un enfoque crítico y multilocal que combina la colaboración comunitaria con el análisis de economía política. Los resultados conminan a cuestionar los discursos tecnooptimistas de la inclusión digital y a analizar cómo la desigualdad condiciona la influencia cívica sobre los medios. Destacan las conexiones que esta tesis establece entre factores clave que afectan a la agencia o capacidad individual de decidir sobre los servicios móviles en el caso de las llamadas "periferias digitales".Indigenous rights movements in Latin America are fighting to overturn the colonial hegemonies that continue to pervade contemporary life on the continent. The Guaraní people, for instance, have devised advanced strategies to decolonize mobile media services through local ownership. While most research on indigenous media focuses on the activities of organizations and the nature of media content, this thesis draws attention to the politics surrounding indigenous people's means of interpersonal communication and provides unprecedented evidence regarding the implications of decolonizing mobile media services. The results of this research, which adopts a critical, multi-sited approach that combines community-based collaboration with an analysis of the political economy, compel us to question the techno-optimism inherent to digital inclusion discourse and to further explore how inequalities shape civic influence on the media. Most significantly, this research ties together key factors that affect the individual agency of those at the so-called "digital margin" over their mobile media services

A Comprehensive Analysis of Computer Use Among African Americans

On average, African Americans receive lower wages in the workplace due to lack of advanced technical skills. The reason for technical deficiency among some African Americans is often lack of exposure to IT resources at an early age. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to identify and explore the factors that contribute to lack of IT resources available to some African Americans to cultivate IT skills. Information literacy theory formed the conceptual framework, which focused on information resources that African American and Caucasians use in the workforce for problem solving and retrieving information. Data were collected by conducting face-to-face and phone interviews using open-ended questions with 20 randomly selected African Americans employed in South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, and Maryland. Data saturation was reached after interviewing the 20 participants. Data were analyzed for emergent themes, revealing that (a) more computer use yielded higher academic achievement, (b) users with higher income had more access to IT resources, and (c) users who had more technical knowledge received higher wages. The findings of the study may contribute to positive social change by exposing members of the African American community as well as other communities to the importance of advanced computer skills, which are needed to succeed in careers and to compete effectively in the workplace

Collective empowerment through information and communication technologies: co-creation processes in underserved communities in Cape Town

This research investigates the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to provide opportunities for groups of people to improve their lives and their communities. Further, the study explores innovative methodological approaches which could be conducive for collective empowerment. Grounded in current ICT4D research, the thesis tries to resolve the gap related to how to include collective approaches and participation in design. The study is framed by critical social theory and the capability approach but with special attention to collective and relational dimensions of agency, capabilities and empowerment. The analysis is based on three digital co-creation case studies which unfolded over a four-year project in underserved settlements in Cape Town, South Africa. The study employed a qualitative methodological approach and followed abductive logic. The research evolved through cycles of ethnographic studies; co-design; and theoretical phases. Each cycle built on the previous one in theory and practice. The initial inductive approach employed open coding followed by content analysis to reflect on the discourses and meanings of ICTs originating from the focus groups in the communities. In the design phase, three case studies were analysed using strategies suitable for research involving cultural differences between researcher and participants. The processes were further evaluated during their development from the theoretical lenses of participatory design, frugal innovation and social capital theory. Five papers provide an analysis of the research project highlighting its evolution, from the creation of digital storytelling until the development of social businesses, and discussing how social relations and group actions determine uses of ICTs and encourage collective ways for information access, information production, creativity development and networking. These concepts supported the analysis of the findings to deepen the use of the theories and to develop a process model for ICT4D projects. The outcome of the research are four propositions and three principles for a sensible emergent approach for ICT4D projects. Their chances of success and sustainability increase if based on grassroots, collective, socially engaged co-creation initiatives. Theoretically, the process model has the potential to improve our understanding and support our way of operating to make ICT4D initiatives more inclusive, more empowering to participants, including the researchers, and to become oriented towards community development and people’s emancipation