Sub-question (b), How can a socially driven innovation benefit a society? is answered in Sub-studies I and V, while sub-question (c), How does frugal innovation support social sustainability? is answered in Sub-study V. The results of these studies are summarised below.
Sub-study I: ‘An Environmentally Friendly Cellulose Insulation Technology for Srinagar, India: A Sustainable Business and Social Innovation’
Background and objectives
Social innovation originates from various sources and can be applied to various disciplines. It has no fixed boundaries and cuts across all sectors (BEPA, 2010). Social innovation has the potential to act as an instrument of change and overcome societal challenges. It has many definitions; one definition that is suitable in the context of this study is that social innovation can be seen as new application of an old idea or the transfer of an idea from one part of the world to another in a way that effectively meets social needs (Mulgan et al., 2012).
This study focuses on Srinagar, which is a northern Indian city that faces harsh winters.
Buildings in Srinagar are not insulated, which makes it very hard for people to survive the cold. Lack of electricity and heating facilities result in poor quality of life. In this study, a sustainable cellulose insulation technological solution – an idea borrowed from Finland – is proposed for Srinagar. It can be seen as a social innovation, since the transfer of this technology and the adoption of the cellulose insulation business could positively benefit society in Srinagar. It can also be seen as a sustainable business, as it has the
potential to holistically address economic, social and environmental challenges (Tueth, 2010). This study explores the applicability of a sustainable cellulose insulation business in the context of Srinagar. The main research aims are to discover the demand for cellulose insulation in Srinagar and whether it could be seen as a socially driven innovation and a sustainable business option for Srinagar. This study also aims to identify the main challenges and opportunities associated with bringing this business to Srinagar.
Findings
The cellulose insulation business in Srinagar could be seen as a sustainable business solution that has the potential to benefit society. It is a sustainable business that will not only save energy by reducing the electricity bills of the inhabitants and assist in waste management, but it will also produce economic benefits for the region. The research establishes that there is potential for cellulose insulation business in Srinagar, as there is hardly any competition in this sector. Lack of availability of insulation materials in the valley was the main cause of its unusability. The government offers attractive incentive packages for industries that plan to set up ventures in Srinagar. Some threats to the business are also identified, including political disturbances in the valley, corruption and weak IPR protection. This study also proposes some recommendations for investors interested in pursuing the cellulose business in Srinagar.
The main objective of this sub-study was to identify the relevance of the cellulose insulation technology for Srinagar, and much of the information presented in it is critical to justifying that perspective. This sub-study shows how cellulose insulation technology could act as a socially driven innovation and contribute positively to the surrounding society. Not only could it generate economic benefits, solve waste management problems and produce energy efficiency, but the social sustainability of Srinagar could also positively be improved by protecting its residents from cold and illnesses and providing them with comfortable lives during harsh winters. The quality of life of the city’s residents will be improved once they get access to the basic need of comfortable shelter. The adoption of cellulose insulation in Srinagar could help realise some important features of social sustainability: ‘human well-being’ (Boström, 2012, Colantonio, 2011, Chiu 2003, Magis and Shinn, 2009), ‘basic needs and quality of life’ (Littig and Griessler, 2005, McKenzie, 2004, Polese and Stren, 2000, Spangenberg and Omman, 2006), ‘broad concept of equity’ (Cuthill, 2009, Dempsey et al. 2011, Murphy, 2012) and ‘improved living conditions’ (Holden, 2012).
Sub-study V: ‘How frugal innovation promotes social sustainability’
Background and objectives
In sustainability discourse, environmental protection, economic prosperity and social equity are intertwined. According to Torjman (2000), it is impossible to sustain human well-being in the absence of a healthy environment and a vibrant economy. Social
sustainability has to be understood in relation to both economic and environmental sustainability. Keeping this principle in mind, this study highlights how social sustainability is linked to frugal innovation. Frugal innovation has had a positive impact on societies, as it has aimed to solve pressing societal problems while creating more business and minimising the use of resources (Radjou and Prabhu, 2014). It has been argued that frugal innovation can improve the sustainability performance of a business (Brem and Ivens, 2013). However, the link between frugal innovation and social sustainability specifically has not received much attention. The researcher argues that it is important to study the role of frugal innovation in sustainable development, devise better tools to study this relationship and establish a strong link between the two concepts.
The objective of this sub-study is, through reviewing the existing literature concerning both fields, to find the connections between social sustainability and frugal innovation;
this literature shows how frugal innovation promotes social sustainability by identifying essential themes of social sustainability and exploring them through existing frugal innovations. Frugal innovation could be viewed as an approach to realising social sustainability and fulfilling the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Findings
The review of the literature on social sustainability and frugal innovation revealed a strong connection between the two concepts. Social sustainability was studied to identify critical themes, and eight cases of frugal innovation were analysed in light of these themes. In nearly all cases, it was discovered that the most important themes of social sustainability – human well-being, basic needs, quality of life, social justice, social inclusion, poverty reduction and so on – are being addressed in frugal innovations. All cases of frugal innovation studied offered solutions to existing problems. Frugal innovation was determined to be one way of solving the challenges of social inclusion in BoP markets. In addition, in BoP markets, even the poorest segments of society gain access to essential services through frugal innovation. Frugal innovation plays an important role in fulfilling social sustainability, promotes SDGs and contributes towards the larger goal of sustainable development. The most common SDGs promoted by frugal innovation cases include SDGs 1 (no poverty), 3 (good health and well-being), 4 (quality education), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 9 (industry innovation and infrastructure), 10 (reduced inequalities), 12 (responsible consumption and production) and 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions).
Figure 7 illustrates the connection between social sustainability and frugal innovation.
The eight cases of frugal innovation included in the study addressed various social problems, which can be seen in themes identified below. Frugal innovation can, then, be seen as a practical step towards realising social sustainability.
Figure 7: Connection between frugal innovation and social sustainability
5 Discussion and conclusions
This dissertation explores the contribution of socially driven innovations and businesses to social sustainability, as well as how these businesses could be more sustainable and benefit society. The theoretical investigation, together with practical case examples described in the sub-studies presented in Part II, produce novel results. This section discusses the theoretical and practical implications of this dissertation, provides an assessment of the work, addresses its limitations and provides suggestions for future research.
5.1
Theoretical implicationsFirst of all, this dissertation contributes to the scientific discussion by establishing a sturdy link between socially driven businesses and innovations and social sustainability, integrating the two sectors of study. Most literature on social sustainability has come from the field of urban development, and this dissertation expands on it by engaging in a cross-disciplinary exploration of social sustainability, studying it from the perspective of sustainable businesses, social and frugal innovations and social enterprises, with real-world cases complementing the theoretical exploration. A strong connection between business and sustainable development has been recognized for years (DeSimone and Popoff, 2000; Fisk, 2010; Tueth, 2010). This dissertation furthers this existing research, which has primarily focused on the contributions of large firms to sustainability, by highlighting micro and small firms and their contributions to social sustainability.
Secondly, this study indicates that micro and small-scale socially driven businesses and socially driven innovations can be viewed as vehicles for achieving greater social sustainability in a given community. At present, sustainability studies suffer from lack of a framework for improving social sustainability through socially driven businesses (such as social enterprises) or socially driven innovations (such as social and frugal innovation).
Through numerous case examples, this dissertation shows how socially driven businesses and innovations address various social sustainability themes that jointly promote sustainable development. The results can act as a stepping-stone for future studies on practical approaches to achieving social sustainability.
Thirdly, viewing research on green and sustainable businesses through the specific lens of social sustainability brings new findings to the surface. It not only recognizes profitability and sustainability from the perspective of the businesses, but identifies their promotion of social sustainability. This applicability of sustainable businesses and technologies could be seen as a tool that has the potential to bring about positive social changes in a society, improving its social sustainability. The results from this research contribute to social sustainability by providing evidence for how sustainable businesses can generate value for a given society by addressing social challenges plaguing that society.
Lastly, this research emphasises how the existence of social enterprises relates to social sustainability. It suggests ways of assessing and improving the sustainability of social enterprises, while showing the contribution of social enterprises to social sustainability.
Similarly, with regards to frugal innovation, this dissertation has positively contributed by highlighting its link to sustainability, which has been previously ignored in the literature. Please refer to the sub-studies presented in Part II for a thorough understanding of the scientific contribution of this study.