4
S. Hostettler
Innovation is often divided into two broad categories: evolutionary innovation
(also called continuous or dynamic evolutionary innovation) brought about by many
incremental advances in technology or processes, and revolutionary innovation (also
called discontinuous innovation) which is often disruptive and new.
3 In the technologies for development field, both types of innovation exist. When considering the
significant needs that continue to go unmet in the Global South, frugal innovation is
particularly important. Frugal innovation is a process whereby new business models are developed, value chains are reconfigured, and products are redesigned in a
scalable, sustainable manner to serve users facing extreme affordability constraints:
“Simple, frugal innovation provides functional solutions using scant resources for
the many who have little means”.
4 Frugal innovation implies doing better with less
by focusing on affordability, simplicity, quality, and sustainability.
5
1.2 Progress Driven by Technological Innovation
The innovation that interests us here is technological innovation for sustainable development in the Global South. Since 1990, a billion people have escaped extreme
poverty, 2.1 billion have gained access to improved sanitation, and more than 2.6
billion have gained access to an improved source of drinking water (United Nations
2015). Between 1990 and 2015, the global under-five mortality rate drastically
decreased from 91 per 1000 live births to 43. Between 2000 and 2015, the incidence of HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis declined. The proportion of seats held by
women in parliaments worldwide, though still a far cry from egalitarian representation, rose from 17 to 23% in 2016 (UNDP 2016). Technological innovation has
played an important role in this progress. New technologies can help governments
and citizens to interact more efficiently and increase the scope and efficiency of
public services. With the steadily growing penetration rate of mobile phones, many
countries are now able to use mobile phones to extend basic social services, including health care, financial services and education, to hard-to-reach populations. The
Internet allows for considerably more information sharing than any other means of
communication ever has (UNDP 2016).
Technology is one of the key factors that can help developing countries close
the gap with industrialized countries. In addition to infrastructure, a productive
and healthy workforce, roads, and access to information and knowledge, technology can help countries to leapfrog forward (Sachs 2015; Wooldridge 2010). For
instance, now that traditional sources of energy such as fossil fuels are coming to
an end, adopting renewable energies based on hydro-, wind-, or solar power might
offer an opportunity for developing countries to not repeat the same mistakes made
by industrialized countries, but instead forge ahead with the help of cutting-edge
3 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html.
4 http://www.frugal-innovation.com/what-is-frugal-innovation.
5 https://hbr.org/2014/11/4-ceos-who-are-making-frugal-innovation-work.
S. Hostettler
Innovation is often divided into two broad categories: evolutionary innovation
(also called continuous or dynamic evolutionary innovation) brought about by many
incremental advances in technology or processes, and revolutionary innovation (also
called discontinuous innovation) which is often disruptive and new.
3 In the technologies for development field, both types of innovation exist. When considering the
significant needs that continue to go unmet in the Global South, frugal innovation is
particularly important. Frugal innovation is a process whereby new business models are developed, value chains are reconfigured, and products are redesigned in a
scalable, sustainable manner to serve users facing extreme affordability constraints:
“Simple, frugal innovation provides functional solutions using scant resources for
the many who have little means”.
4 Frugal innovation implies doing better with less
by focusing on affordability, simplicity, quality, and sustainability.
5
1.2 Progress Driven by Technological Innovation
The innovation that interests us here is technological innovation for sustainable development in the Global South. Since 1990, a billion people have escaped extreme
poverty, 2.1 billion have gained access to improved sanitation, and more than 2.6
billion have gained access to an improved source of drinking water (United Nations
2015). Between 1990 and 2015, the global under-five mortality rate drastically
decreased from 91 per 1000 live births to 43. Between 2000 and 2015, the incidence of HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis declined. The proportion of seats held by
women in parliaments worldwide, though still a far cry from egalitarian representation, rose from 17 to 23% in 2016 (UNDP 2016). Technological innovation has
played an important role in this progress. New technologies can help governments
and citizens to interact more efficiently and increase the scope and efficiency of
public services. With the steadily growing penetration rate of mobile phones, many
countries are now able to use mobile phones to extend basic social services, including health care, financial services and education, to hard-to-reach populations. The
Internet allows for considerably more information sharing than any other means of
communication ever has (UNDP 2016).
Technology is one of the key factors that can help developing countries close
the gap with industrialized countries. In addition to infrastructure, a productive
and healthy workforce, roads, and access to information and knowledge, technology can help countries to leapfrog forward (Sachs 2015; Wooldridge 2010). For
instance, now that traditional sources of energy such as fossil fuels are coming to
an end, adopting renewable energies based on hydro-, wind-, or solar power might
offer an opportunity for developing countries to not repeat the same mistakes made
by industrialized countries, but instead forge ahead with the help of cutting-edge
3 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/innovation.html.
4 http://www.frugal-innovation.com/what-is-frugal-innovation.
5 https://hbr.org/2014/11/4-ceos-who-are-making-frugal-innovation-work.