Title: Reverse innovation and its antecedents: creating value for people at the bottom

Authors: Prigya Rawat; Vijay Kumar Jain

Addresses: ABV-Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Morena Link Road, IIITM Campus, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh 474015, India ' DIT-University, Mussoorie, Diversion Road, Makka Wala, Uttarakhand 248009, India

Abstract: The primary challenge confronting business is to serve the poor. Charity cannot solve current problems. Reverse innovation has the potential to transform every industry, including energy, healthcare, and transportation, housing, and consumer products. Reverse innovation being low-cost innovation can serve billions of people standing at the bottom of the pyramid. The paper aims to determine the antecedents of reverse innovation. A theoretical framework was developed to explain and empirically verify the antecedents of reverse innovation. The framework was tested and statistically validated using structural equation modelling relying on data collected through 878 respondents working at the executive level of the firms practicing reverse innovation in India. Managing customer perception has emerged as an essential antecedent of reverse innovation followed by an understanding of local product requirement, simplifying regulatory environment and developing new business model respectively. The findings of the study would contribute towards promoting reverse innovation in developing and developed market, thereby serving people at the bottom. This would also open new opportunities for MNC's in the established market as well.

Keywords: reverse innovation; business model; customer perception; structural equation modelling; SEM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPSPM.2022.124113

International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management, 2022 Vol.10 No.1, pp.1 - 21

Received: 26 Jan 2019
Accepted: 18 Aug 2019
Published online: 14 Jul 2022 *

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