Frugal Innovations and Their Societal Benefits: Perspectives from Ugandan Indigenous Entrepreneurs

Some scholars perceive local frugal innovation as holding promise for meeting the big challenges of providing life’s basic amenities in low-income environments. However, theorising and measurement of the societal benefits are poorly developed. This study works around these problems with insights from academically well-established quality-of-life literature and indigenous entrepreneurship research. These insights are used to guide in-depth interviews with six indigenous Ugandan entrepreneurs who have utilised local resources and navigated around constraints to make affordable products and services. The findings indicate that frugal innovations are relevant to local communities when the entrepreneurs co-create their product or service with customers. Wide-ranging benefits are reported, such as feelings of personal empowerment, peace of mind, confidence, dignity, family security deriving from savings and asset acquisition and environmental improvements. Seeking buy-in by local community leaders and striking up productive partnerships with like-minded parties are keys to success. Indigenous entrepreneurship can also be remarkably socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable.