A Development Lens to Resource-Constrained Innovation: Exploring frugality in medical device manufacturing in South Africa

The lack of affordable and appropriate medical devices for resource-constrained settings to meet the needs of low- and middle-income countries is a global health concern. Most medical devices are designed by firms from high-income countries with a focus on their home markets. There is an urgent need to understand firms that are deeply embedded and appreciative of resource-constrained settings as alternate sources of frugal innovations. With empirical evidence from the medical device sector in South Africa, this research advances a “development lens” to resource-constrained innovation by taking into consideration both innovation for and under constraints. While one enhances individual capabilities by addressing unmet needs through availability and access to frugal innovations, the other contributes to firm-level capability accumulation. This research argues that both are important for technological change to be inclusive.