Last week the peer-reviewed Southern African Journal of Policy and Development published an article by CFIA researcher Iva Peša on Frugal Innovation and Local Economic Development in Zambia.
Read the abstract below; a full version of the article (pages 15-25) can be found on the website of the Southern African Journal of Policy and Development.
Homegrown or Imported? Frugal Innovation and Local Economic Development in Zambia
Iva Peša
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Innovation and entrepreneurship have the potential to stimulate economic growth. Yet it remains unclear whether top-down or bottom-up innovations are more likely to lead to local economic development. By looking at three cases of frugal innovation on the Zambian Copperbelt, in the spheres of housing, water and energy, it will be argued that polycentric innovation (which connects local and international actors) is most likely to generate inclusive development. Yet even a polycentric approach does not guarantee desired outcomes, as innovation remains context specific.
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