Purpose In the past years, many contributions have been published addressing frugal innovation and other types of resource-constrained innovations in the management field. Throughout this paper frugal innovation is reported as a phenomenon, concept, research field and strategy, showing the different ways the literature refers to it and how scattered the concept is. However, based on the understanding, the authors decided to address frugal innovation as a kind of innovation strategy that helps companies to innovate in resource-constrained environments. Therefore, considering the increasing interest in the frugal innovation topic and adding the perspective of business strategy for resource-constrained conditions, the research question addressed in this paper is: what are the main features of the frugal innovation literature that unfold its current perspectives for business strategy? In this sense, the purpose of this study is to analyze the scientific production in frugal innovation through a literature mapping and review to better understand it, delimiting different perspectives and creating boundaries to other business strategies or approaches. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed a co-citation analysis using the Vosviewer software to notice how authors are arranged in clusters based on their understanding of the topic. Furthermore, the authors also performed a systematic literature review (SLR) analyzing the extant literature on frugal innovation based on the clusters found through the co-citation method. The final sample used in the study included 42 papers published between 2011 and 2019, using the Web of Science platform as a data source. Findings By means of SLR, the findings of this study provided a more organized view of frugal innovation through the co-citation analysis and the qualitative analysis of the clusters, which were the basis for the parameters established. After the conceptualization of frugal innovation strategy (FIS) and the delimitation of boundaries of FIS, the authors bring the reflections about the contribution to the literature and the practice (managers and society) by showing three assumptions to be tested and confirmed in future studies and a framework to guide companies in search of a FIS. Originality/value This study contributes to the discussion on frugal innovation moving a step forward to clarify the research field on this subject providing the main characteristics for researchers and practitioners. The paper has delimited the boundaries of FIS. The assumptions established in the discussion can become hypotheses for empirical studies. In addition, the authors explain why, what is, where and to whom the FIS can be developed and applied. Furthermore, the authors contribute by developing the FIS framework, with four strategic positions based on the boundaries of FIS organized by the complexity technological level. The strategic positions are frugal innovation orientation (FIO), FIO to value shared, FIO to market and FIS.

Purpose Companies need guidance on how to operate in turbulent environments to improve their innovative performance. However, few studies have been done specifically about how to market and technological turbulence affects the innovative performance in emerging markets. This paper aims to propose model with market turbulence, technological turbulence and firm’s bricolage behavior as antecedents of organizational innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach Two conceptualizations of the role of environmental turbulence are examined as follows: that market turbulence and technological turbulence are established as direct antecedents to organizational innovativeness performance; and the model has a mediating effect through the bricolage behavior. In this sense, the strengths of the paths differ depending on the presence of bricolage. Data were collected from 215 firms operating in Brazil, analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS)-structural equation modeling (SEM) technique as a quantitative method to test the hypotheses. Findings The results indicate that the mediating effect evidenced by the bricolage behavior was supported. In other words, the path from market and technological turbulence to organizational innovativeness is significantly better when permeated by bricolage behavior in the organization. Research limitations/implications It can be suggested to conduct similar research with larger sample size and applying control variables such as the size of the company, as smaller companies have less access to resources and maybe the engagement in bricolage can be even more substantial for them to keep innovating and to remain competitive in times of turbulence. Practical implications Some managerial recommendations and implications are provided. Managers should recognize the possible improvements in the organizational innovativeness development by actively including the bricolage behavior among their companies’ activities. Originality/value The theoretical contribution to the academic knowledge lies in corroborating with previous studies, which pointed out that bricolage has an influence on a firm’s innovativeness and some studies, which address perspectives in the organizational learning field.

PurposeThis research aims to answer the following question: Could bricolage become a capability for companies in emerging markets to develop frugal innovations in times of crisis? Therefore, in this paper the main aim is to identify whether in times of crisis the development of frugal innovation in emerging markets depends on the bricolage capability.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses were statistically tested using the structural equation modeling technique, with data collected through the survey method applied to 215 companies in Brazil.FindingsThe results allowed support for the hypothesis that bricolage capability has a positive impact on the development of frugal innovation. Therefore, a mediating test was verified, allowing confirmation that to develop frugal innovation in emerging markets, bricolage becomes a required capability for companies in times of crisis.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation of this study lies in considering the effect of bricolage on frugal innovation only in the context of Brazil, while in developed countries this effect may be similar, as they also suffer from resource constraints caused by crises.Practical implicationsThis research provides insights to guide managers by highlighting bricolage as a key managerial capability for the development of frugal innovation. A set of managerial recommendations are provided based on bricolage skills.Originality/valueThe study has contributed to the literature on bricolage and frugal innovation by addressing bricolage as an antecedent of frugal innovation in emerging markets, especially when those markets are affected by resource scarcity.

Purpose This paper underscores how organizational ambidexterity and organizational innovation play differentiated roles in the subsidiary reverse knowledge transfers (RKT). The authors argue that both organizational ambidexterity and organizational innovation play a positive but differentiated role in the RKT process in that the former positively influences subsidiary knowledge creation, whereas the latter positively influences subsidiary knowledge transfers. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 289 foreign subsidiaries operating in Brazil. Hypotheses were developed and tested by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results supported the hypotheses and showed that organizational ambidexterity promotes knowledge creation, and that organizational innovation facilitates knowledge transfers. Research limitations/implications The paper offers implications with regard to drivers of subsidiary investments and actions of subsidiary managers vis-à-vis the subsidiary objectives of knowledge creation and/or transfers. Originality/value Showing the different roles of organizational ambidexterity and organizational innovation, this paper reveals some underlying mechanisms of the RKT process and contributes by explaining the competitive heterogeneity of subsidiaries, with impacts on subsidiary management’s evolutionary and resource dependence perspective.

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as características do ambiente institucional do Brasil que dificultam a internacionalização das empresas brasileiras. O alcance deste objetivo se torna possível através da análise da relação entre a tributação brasileira e a baixa internacionalização das empresas nacionais; e da relação entre a infraestrutura brasileira e a baixa internacionalização dessas empresas nacionais. A base teórica adotada engloba as teorias de internacionalização e a visão baseada em instituições. Para viabilizar este estudo, utilizam-se os dados da pesquisa Enterprise Surveys da agência International Finance Corporation (IFC), do Banco Mundial, realizada em 2009. A pesquisa realizada confirmou que os obstáculos associados à questão da tributação brasileira são mais percebidos e enfrentados por empresas brasileiras internacionalizadas do que as não internacionalizadas. Isto pode ser justificado pelo fato das empresas internacionalizadas terem vivenciado essas dificuldades e aprendido a lidar com esses obstáculos para poder realizar suas atividades, enquanto que as não internacionalizadas, por ainda não realizarem atividades no exterior, não conseguem perceber da mesma forma esses obstáculos da tributação. Já os obstáculos da infraestrutura nacional implicam na atuação tanto de empresas não internacionalizadas quanto de internacionalizadas, mostrando que esta barreira afeta ambas de forma similar.