Bahnbrechende Erfindungen oder erschwingliche Exzellenz?

Am 2. Juli 2021 organisierte die Johanna-Quandt-Stiftung anlässlich des Johanna-Ouandt-Wirtschaftsstipendiums 2021 eine Paneldiskussion mit dem Titel “Von bahnbrechenden Erfindungen und erschwinglicher Exzellenz – unterschiedliche Innovationsansätze im Dialog” und der Beteiligung des CFI. Die Diskussion fand in der Form eines Auftaktpanels für die zwei-tägige Präsenzveranstaltung in Bad Homburg mit geladenen Gästen statt. Diskutanten waren Frau Barbara Diehl (SprinD GmbH – Bundesagentur für Sprunginnovationen) und Dr. Rajnish Tiwari (Center for Frugal Innovation der Technischen Universität Hamburg, und Hochschule Fresenius, Hamburg). Die beiden Diskutanten betonten, dass es keinen inhärenten Widerspruch zwischen bahnbrechenden Erfindungen und frugalen Innovationen geben muss. Damit kann eine innovative Lösung durchaus gleichzeitig frugal und bahnbrechend sein. Denke man in etwa an die vielen Lösungen im Gesundheitsbereich (siehe beispielsweise den Vortrag von Dr. Shyam Vasudeva Rao [ab Minute 09:31] oder diesen Bericht der New York Times über iBreastExam für die Früherkennung von Brustkrebs).

In seinem Impulsvortrag unter dem Motto Living in a frugal “AGE” hebte Dr. Tiwari hervor, dass ökologisch nachhaltige und ökonomisch erschwingliche hochwertige Lösungen in den kommenden Jahren unerlässlich sind und damit den Imperativ frugaler Innovation bilden. Er verwendet das Akronym AGE für “Affordable Green Excellence”, die z.B. durch die digitale Transformation ermöglicht wird.

Den Kern seines Vortrages bildeten die Ergebnisse des am Institut laufenden ERASMUS+ Projektes “Envisioning the Future of teaching and coaching for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship” (Förderkennzeichen: 612537-EPP-1-2019-1-SI-EPPKA2-KA). Denn die erzielten Erkenntnisse scheinen auch das bahnbrechende Potenzial frugaler Innovation zu besitzen.

Empirische Untersuchungen aus diesem Projekt, die auf Literaturanalysen, Experteninterviews und mehreren Workshops basieren,zeigen, dass die digitale Transformation ein immenses, nahezu disruptives Potenzial für die Förderung der Kreativität, Innovation und Entrepreneurship besitzt, indem sie lebenslanges Lernen (Reskilling und Upskilling) in ressourcenschonender Weise, insbesondere was Zeit, Aufwand und Kosten anbelangt, ermöglicht. Lernende können sich neue Kompetenzen maßgescheinedert nach eigenen Wünschen und Bedürfnissen (“anytime, anywhere education”) aneigenen. Damit wird ein besonderer Bezug zur “affordable green excellence” hergestellt. Die Ergebnisse wurden später detaillerter auf der R&D Management Coneference 2021 vorgestellt.

Breakthrough inventions or affordable excellence?

The renowned Johanna Quandt Foundation organized a discussion panel with participation of CFI to discuss the the supposed contradiction between breakthrough inventions and frugal innovations on July 2, 2021 in Bad Homburg (near Frankfurt am Main) in Germany. The discussion was organized as the inaugural event of a 2-days workshop with award-winning journalists from Germany. The panel discussion, which also included opening statements in the form of presentations, involved Ms. Barbara Diehl (SprinD GmbH – Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation) and Dr. Rajnish Tiwari (Center for Frugal Innovation dof TUHH, and Hochschule Fresenius, Hamburg). Both speakers agreed that there has to be no inherent and non-resoulable contradiction between breakthrough inventions and frugal innovations. On the contrary, many breakthrough inventions have a frugal character and vice versa (see, e.g. the talk by Dr. Shyam Vasudeva Rao [from minute 09:31 onwards] or this report of the New York Times on iBreastExam for early detection of breast cancer).

Dr. Rajnish Tiwari used the motto Living in a frugal “AGE” for his presentation, where the term “AGE” was used as an acronym signifying “affordable green excellence”. He emphasized that ecologically sustainable and economically affordable high-quality solutions are no more a mere theoretic “luxury” discussion. Such frugality-based solutions rather constitute an imperative in the race to meet the challenges of sustainable development goals (SDGs) in a world faced with rapdily depleting natural resources. Digital transformation, in his view, is a potent enabler for the frugal AGE.

A cornerstone of his talk was built by the results of an ongoing study titled “Envisioning the Future of teaching and coaching for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship” (ERASMUS+ project, grant number: 612537-EPP-1-2019-1-SI-EPPKA2-KA). This study shows in a particularly impressive way, why frugality and the breakthrough-character of an innovation solution can go hand-in-hand.

Empirical investigations based on mixed-methods (literature review, expert interviews, stakeholder workshops) suggest that the digital transformation possesses an immense potential to promote creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship crucial to meet the challenges of SDGs and ageing societies as it enables life-long learning in a user-friendly, resource-savvy and effective manner. Reskilling and upskilling can be achieved in a tailor-made (individualized) manner with high quality (e.g. through use of artificial intelligence, virtual reality etc.) with anytime, anywhere formats that substantially redurce the (opportunity) costs for learners while enabling significant economies of scale for providers of such education. Detailed results of the project were later presented at the R&D Management Coneference 2021, where additionally also Prof. John Bessant in his keynote addressed the need for frugal solutions.


In German: Programm des Johanna-Quandt-Wirtschaftsstipendiums 2021

Habilitation colloquium of Dr. Rajnish Tiwari on the theme of “Digital Transformation as Enabler of Affordable Excellence”

On June 30, 2020 there was a Habilitation colloquium of Dr. Rajnish Tiwari that marked the successful completion of his Habilitation (“venia legendi”). The colloquium was on the theme of “Digital Transformation as Enabler of Affordable Excellence”. The presentation showed how digital technologies can help achieve frugal solutions that in turn enable affordable excellence.

Abstract of the presentation

Latest since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic the potential of digital technologies as enabler of high-quality-yet-affordable solutions has become clear. Nevertheless, reports suggest that many firms struggle with implementing digital transformation due to the (perceived) need for high investments. Moreover, the true (potential) value-add of digital transformation is not clear to many, as digital transformation is often associated with complex terms such as “Industry 4.0”, “Internet of Things” or “Smart Homes”, whose true value-add is either not obvious to non-experts, or whose value-add is rather perceived in “nice-yet-superfluous” things such as a refrigerator which can autonomously re-order groceries. Thus, the cost-benefit analysis apparently does not seem to justify the requisite investments in many an instance. Continue reading