This pioneering Handbook details the origins of the concept of frugal innovation, its emergence as an academic field of interest, and the driving forces behind it. It presents new empirical evidence and critical perspectives on what frugal innovation entails, from a range of disciplines including science and engineering, humanities, and the social sciences. Analysing case studies on frugal innovation from across the globe, this Handbook assesses the role of innovation in addressing societal challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. Chapters examine key topics in the field, covering gender as a lens for frugal innovation, managing frugal innovation for sustainable development, design and engineering in frugal product formation, and the global markets for frugal innovation policies. Contributors pay specific attention to the role of technology as an enabler for frugal innovation, and the institutional and social contexts in which it takes place. Providing a comprehensive overview of frugal innovation, this Handbook will be essential reading for academics and students in the fields of development economics, business and management studies and organisational innovation. It will also be beneficial for policymakers and government officials interested in perspectives on innovation that could be instrumental in the formation and implementation of innovation policies.

The allocation of subsidies is often regarded as a fundamental role of governments in order to realise and maintain benefits to society. The possibility that public subsidies could actually be counterproductive contradicts common perception. The authors of this challenging book present recent evidence which, in their view, suggests that subsidies may in fact turn out to be a contemporary plague. Public Subsidies and Policy Failures provides extensive analysis of the theory and political economy of public support policies, demonstrating how subsidies can harm the environment, distort trade, and benefit those in society who do not require support. Furthermore, they often fail to achieve the desired and expected goals. The authors employ a theoretical framework to illustrate the impact of subsidies on developed and developing economies, as well as on international trade. They examine public subsidies in various natural resource and industrial sectors and discover that many turn out to be policy failures. They also investigate the various barriers and lock-in mechanisms by which subsidies become entrenched in economic and political structures. The book goes on to propose concrete actions, policy strategies and international 'Grand Deals' which will engender effective subsidy reforms. Scholars, researchers and students will welcome this rigorous investigation into the political and economic costs and benefits of public subsidies. International trade organisations and policymakers will also benefit from the strategic emphasis.

The idea that innovation and technological change is important for economic growth and human development has long been recognized. This book explores this idea, providing an overview of current research on determinants of innovation of firms from the perspective of economics and management. It deals with the innovating firm's internal and external organization and how their mutual relationship affects innovative behaviour. Using several methods of analysis, the book reveals the specific determinants that are predominant in explaining firm performance on innovation. Several chapters in this book address the needs of both scientific economists and management scientists as well as practitioners.