Jugaad, a term rooted in Indian ingenuity, embodies a resourceful approach to problem-solving amidst constraints. Arya (2020) underscores jugaad’s essence as improvisation and adaptation, often drawing from local wisdom and ad-hoc methods. This approach prioritizes swift solutions, leveraging available resources creatively. Frugal innovation, as articulated by Granados and Prabhu (2022), emphasizes creating high-quality solutions that are affordable, particularly for underserved communities. It accentuates the importance of cost-effectiveness without compromising on quality, targeting the Base of the Pyramid. Reverse innovation, elucidated by McCausland (2023), involves a paradigm shift in the innovation flow, initiating ideas in emerging markets and scaling them for global applicability.

These concepts share common ground in their emphasis on resource optimization and problem-solving efficiency. Laker (2022) highlights the competitive advantage of frugal entrepreneurship, stressing lean approaches and cost-conscious strategies. Similarly, Ong and Gustale (2020) accentuate frugal innovations’ role in accelerating sustainable development, particularly in addressing societal challenges effectively. While sharing principles, distinctions among these paradigms are discernible. McCausland (2023) nuances the discussion, delineating reverse innovation from frugal innovation by emphasizing its bi-directional flow. This flow entails ideas originating in emerging markets being reimagined and implemented in developed economies, challenging the traditional innovation trajectory.

Illustrating these principles are numerous real-world instances across diverse sectors. Arya’s study (2020) illuminates the essence of jugaad through diverse examples from India, showcasing how grassroots innovation thrives amidst scarcity. Granados and Prabhu’s work (2022) echoes this sentiment by spotlighting instances where frugal innovations have transformed access to crucial services and products for underserved populations. Furthermore, Tran and Ravaud (2016) present compelling examples of frugal innovation in the medical realm, demonstrating groundbreaking advancements in healthcare delivery, especially in resource-constrained environments. McCausland’s insights (2023) underline instances where emerging markets have pioneered innovative solutions subsequently embraced globally, challenging conventional innovation models.

Across the spectrum of jugaad, frugal innovation, and reverse innovation, a tapestry of shared principles and nuanced differentiations emerges, enriching our understanding of diverse innovation paradigms. Laker (2022) emphasizes the competitive edge of frugal entrepreneurship, highlighting lean approaches and cost-conscious strategies. This mirrors the essence of jugaad, as outlined by Arya (2020), which thrives on improvisation and adaptation, resonating with the fundamental ethos of doing more with less. Moreover, Ong and Gustale (2020) emphasize the pivotal role of frugal innovations in accelerating sustainable development, particularly in addressing societal challenges effectively. This resonates with the adaptable nature of jugaad, which often leverages local wisdom and ad-hoc methods to foster grassroots solutions for pressing issues in resource-constrained settings. These shared principles underscore the fundamental drive to optimize resources while maximizing impact, echoing across these innovation paradigms.

While sharing overarching principles, distinctions among these paradigms surface, elucidating their unique trajectories. McCausland (2023) delineates reverse innovation from frugal innovation by emphasizing its bi-directional flow. Reverse innovation challenges traditional innovation trajectories by initiating ideas in emerging markets and scaling them globally, fostering a dynamic innovation exchange. This differs from frugal innovation, which primarily focuses on creating affordable solutions for underserved populations, as highlighted by Granados and Prabhu (2022), without explicitly engaging in the reverse flow of innovation. Furthermore, the adaptability of these paradigms in distinct contexts contributes to their differentiation. Arya (2020) showcases jugaad’s diverse applicability in India, where improvisation and ingenuity thrive amidst resource scarcity. In contrast, Granados and Prabhu’s work (2022) emphasizes the deliberate creation of affordable, high-quality solutions, particularly targeted at the Base of the Pyramid, elucidating the specific focus of frugal innovation in addressing the needs of underserved communities.

These paradigms’ distinction also lies in their impact on the global innovation landscape. McCausland’s insights (2023) underscore instances where ideas originating in emerging markets have redefined global innovation, challenging conventional notions and fostering a more inclusive approach. This contrasts with the localized yet impactful nature of jugaad, often thriving within specific cultural and contextual environments, as portrayed by Arya (2020). Despite their differences, the convergence of these paradigms on the core principle of resource optimization highlights their interconnectedness. Laker’s perspective (2022) on the competitive advantage of frugal entrepreneurship aligns with the improvisational nature of jugaad, emphasizing the transformative potential of lean approaches and cost-conscious strategies in diverse innovation contexts. This interconnectedness not only broadens the spectrum of innovation but also fosters collaborative potential among these diverse methodologies.