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Communications of the Association for Information Systems

Author ORCID Identifier

Suchit Ahuja: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6961-0398

Arman Sadreddin: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6425-0696

Alireza Khaleghi-Songhor: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6109-2377

Abstract

India has long served as a fertile ground for frugal innovation - ingenious, constraint-driven solutions that deliver high value with minimal resources. While this paradigm has traditionally thrived in domains such as healthcare, agriculture, and education, the integration of digital technologies has opened new frontiers for scalability, affordability, and social impact. This study introduces the concept of frugal digital innovation, which merges the core principles of frugality with the enabling power of readily available digital tools, platforms, and technologies. Addressing a gap in the Information Systems (IS) literature, this article examines how firms in resource-constrained environments employ frugal digital innovation to co-create socio-economic value. Drawing on a case study of ThinkZone, an EdTech startup operating in rural India, we examine how the firm navigated infrastructural limitations and market barriers to deliver accessible and sustainable educational services during turbulent periods. Our findings contribute to the conceptual extension of frugal innovation by providing a research framework for frugal digital innovation and highlighting its strategic, technological, and societal implications. This study offers valuable insights for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers seeking inclusive, cost-effective, and sustainable innovation models, particularly relevant for emerging economies and, increasingly, advanced markets facing economic and systemic constraints.

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