Frugal products and services aim at satisfying the unsaturated demand of a large and growing middle class in many emerging economies. Although research has been conducted in regard to the strategic importance of frugal innovations, so far, the actual development process of such innovations has...

Analogies can trigger breakthrough ideas in new product development. Numerous examples demonstrate that substantial innovations often result from transferring problem solutions from one industry or domain to another. For instance, the designers of the new running show generation of Nike, "Nike...

In this paper we explore how knowledge brokers - specialised design and engineering companies offering services to clients in diverse industries - use analogies for product development. Our research is based on interviews with project leaders of 13 knowledge brokering companies. The interviews...

Neben der anscheinend hohen, praktischen Relevanz wird zur Zeit die Frage diskutiert, ob frugale Innovation ein eigenständiges, betriebswirtschaftliches Innovations-Konzept rechtfertigt, welches sich markant von anderen, bekannten Ansätzen bzw. einer generellen "Low cost"-Strategie eines...

In der wissenschaftlichen Literatur zum Innovationsmanagement - wie in der betrieblichen Praxis der Neuproduktentwicklung - wird der Einsatz von innovativen Analogien als ein vielversprechender Ansatz gesehen, denn hierdurch kann bereits bestehendes Wissen zur Lösung von Problemstellungen, die...

Recent years have seen the emergence of low-cost innovations targeted at economically weaker sections of the society, seeking to align business with social welfare. In many instances, results on the ground have been, however, rather sobering as firms have generally (probably justifiably) worried...

High-tech, German companies are facing a curious problem: their products are reportedly too good for the expanding global markets. So in a way they get penalised for offering a superlative quality. At a second glance, though, this doesn't seem surprising. For, succeeding in the emerging markets...

This study builds on our previous work, which had questioned the validity of certain assumptions of the lead market theory in the face of changing ground realities in a globalized world. Sustained economic growth and proven technological capabilities in some emerging economies like China and...

In January 2007, a joint research project on "India's Innovation System: Exploring the Strengths" was launched by the Institute of Technology and Management at Hamburg University of Technology in cooperation with the East-West Center. The elements and inherent strengths and weaknesses of India's...

Mobile Commerce is gaining increasing acceptance amongst various sections of the society. This growth can be partly traced back to technological and demographical developments that have been influencing important aspects of the socio-cultural behaviour in today's world. The need/wish for...