‘Frugal Innovation’ and Planting the Seeds of Sustainability
“Nothing is more dangerous than a dogmatic worldview — nothing more constraining, more blinding to innovation, more destructive of openness to novelty” — Stephen Jay Gould
The Economist ran an interesting piece a couple of months ago on the charms of frugal innovation. In essence, it refers to the practice of starting with the needs of poor consumers (and those in the developing world) and working backward towards a solution. It’s often used with reference to technology, including wireless phones, but also applies to other goods as well.
As The Economist noted, it’s more than about just costs; it also includes simplification of use and durability. And, with respect to the example of wireless phones, it’s a needed approach, given that there are a couple of billion in use, with the numbers continuing to grow…
Read the original news at greenbiz
