Modelo para implantação de inovação frugal em micro e pequenas empresas que produzem para a base da pirâmide

Abstract

Frugal innovation is about simplifying products and services by making them attractive, making them accessible to a wider group of consumers. Its trends have been accepted in most countries, but still little disseminated, studied and discussed in the world of entrepreneurship, presenting itself with characteristics of a disruptive process. The present work aims to propose a model for the implementation of frugal innovation in micro and small companies in the Cariri region of Ceará that produce and market to the Base of Pyramid (BoP), in order to contribute to leverage their performance. Therefore, the key constructs of frugal innovation were identified, the existing innovation practices in the companies under study were analyzed, the barriers to frugal innovation were identified, as well as the elements that leverage innovation, evaluating the potential contribution of the proposed model to the performance of the companies in study. For the development of the work, a multiple case study was used in companies from three distinct sectors of the industries that produce and market products predominantly for the base of pyramid (BoP). The investigated companies are in the city of Juazeiro do Norte – Ceará, and are in the plated jewelry, cast aluminum and footwear segments. The model was proposed based on the constructs identified in the literature as well as on the results of empirical research. Also based on what was identified in the survey with companies, a booklet was also developed to guide the application of new frugal innovation practices in micro and small companies working in the Base of the Pyramid environment for consumers of the Base of Pyramid.