Frugal innovation process: multiple case study with footwear companies

Purpose The purpose of this research is to investigate the process that leads to frugal innovation in the footwear sector in companies in the Southern Region of Brazil. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted with six footwear companies. Data were collected through interviews and analyzed by identifying innovation cases that could be classified as frugal. Findings The study identified 11 frugal innovations. Bricolage emerged as the main mechanism underlying the development of frugal innovations. Professionals with this ability are called “Gyro Gearloose” in the shoe sector. Some innovations showed reductions in cost of up to 96.66%. These results were enabled by a particular innovation management style associated with a frugal mindset among managers. The findings corroborate prior research on frugal innovation, bricolage and innovation management. Research limitations/implications One of the limitations of this research is the fact that it only evaluated the perspective of the companies in the form of their representatives, the footwear experts interviewed. Practical implications This study demonstrates how footwear companies can develop frugal innovations at low cost without compromising essential product quality and how such practices can be incorporated into innovation management. Social implications The social implications of this study can be divided into three aspects: people, environment and economy. Originality/value This research connects with the study of other researchers on the topic of frugal innovation and presents empirical evidence on cost reductions of significant margins in an industry of global proportions. Besides, it presents the process of frugal innovation inside shoe companies, which rely heavily on complex processes and innovation management practices. This has important implications for innovation management practices, as shoe industries depend on intense labor organization and cost efficiency methods, which have a great impact on innovation management and outcomes.