Dynamic of Innovation in Services for Consumers at the Bottom of the Pyramid

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze the dynamic of innovation in services for consumers at the bottom of the pyramid (BoP). For this purpose, a framework composed of innovation dimensions, capabilities and infrastructure was developed. To assess the framework behavior in the business practice, a case study was carried out in a retail firm operating in Brazil's Northeast region whose target consumers are at the BoP. The results showed adherence of the proposed framework to the dynamics of innovation conducted by the studied firm. Considering the theoreticalacademic perspective, the framework helps explain the interaction between dimensions, capabilities, and elements of the market infrastructure. As for its practical relevance, it explains how service innovations occur and how to adapt them to the BoP market. In addition, as the structure of the proposed framework includes both external and internal elements, innovation is then considered from different perspectives.

The Concept of Sustainability in the Brazilian Road Freight Transportation Sector

“…Companies that work with cargo transportation, following the logic of competitiveness, are increasingly committed to incorporating technological innovations as an alternative to differentiate themselves from competitors and improve customer service. Putting new technologies into practice is a situation endogenous to the capitalist and globalized system, in which consumption determinations and marketing, sales and customer relations are based on consumer opinion and trends [30].…”

“…The ability of an organization to grow in a scenario of strong competition is directly associated with the ability to develop some kind of differential. This factor represents, above all, the development and adoption of innovations for the best relationship with the customer, to generate new products or to be able to establish more efficient processes [30]. In this panorama of the performance of road cargo transportation, the highlights are the innovations of a sustainable character, responsible for directing actions for the preservation of the environment, and also sufficient to optimize resources and reduce costs.…”

Product development process of a digital irrigameter: a water sizing proposal for sprinkler irrigation process in different cultures

“…Innovation in the product development process considers the implementation of new ideas, be they administrative, technological or procedural [27]. In addition, these can be of incremental character when it comes to the improvement of existing products, or of a radical nature, when creating new products or services [28].…”

“…Currently, the use of innovation processes to solve daily problems has become recurrent [28]. As a result, one of the problems experienced by the population corresponds to the lack of water, mainly in regions with a dry climate [27,29]. As for the consumption of this resource, there are several possibilities for its optimization that use innovative practices [30].…”