[India Studies in Business and Economics] Inclusive Innovation (Evidence and Options in Rural India) ||

This book discusses the role of inclusive innovation for development in rural India. It uses the evidence of innovation in the context of skewed or limited livelihood options and multiple knowledge systems to argue that if inclusive innovation is to happen, the actors and the nature of the innovation system need reform. The book presents cases of substantive technological changes and institutional reforms enabling inclusive innovation in rural manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, health services, and the processes of technological learning in traditional informal networks, as well as in formal modern commodity markets. These cases offer lessons to enable learning and change within the state and formal science and technology (S & T) organizations. By focusing on these actors central to development economics and innovation systems framework, the book bridges the widening conceptual gaps between these two parallel knowledge domains, and offers options for action by several actors to enable inclusive innovation systems. The content is thus of value to a wide audience consisting of researchers, policy makers, NGOs and industry observers Acknowledgements 6 Praise for Inclusive Innovation 8 Contents 10 Editors and Contributors 12 The Problem 17 1 Inclusive Innovation: Changing Actors and Agenda 18 Actors and Agenda 19 Inclusive Innovation: A Project 22 Innovation and the Developmental State 28 Broad-Based Rural Development and Innovation 28 ‘Agenda Setting’ and Reforming 31 History as Eye-Opener 34 Inclusive Innovation: In and for Rural India 37 References 42 The Evidence 46 2 Crafts, Innovation and Exclusion: Challenges for Inclusion in a Terracotta Cluster, Rajasthan 47 The Context 47 Indian Craft Clusters and Forms of Exclusion 49 Sidelining of Rural Industrialisation in India 51 Emergence and Status of the Terracotta Cluster in Molela 53 Meanings of Innovation in a Terracotta Cluster 54 Constrained Craft Business as Disincentive to Innovate 57 The Raw Material Crisis 60 State and the Craft 61 Concluding Observations 62 References 63 3 Factors Determining Innovation in Micro Enterprise Clusters 64 Introduction 65 Literature Review 67 Methodology for Developing Cluster-Level Innovation Index 70 Selection of Variables 71 Indications from Case Studies 78 Results 81 Discussion and Conclusions: Strength and Weaknesses of the Index 84 References 84 4 Inclusion and Innovation Challenges in Handloom Clusters of Assam 87 Introduction 87 Research Framework 88 Evolution and Growth of Clusters 89 Evolution and Growth of the Sualkuchi Cluster 89 Evolution and Growth of Dhokuakhana Cluster 92 Expansion of Handloom Markets and Growth of the Clusters 93 Growth of Clusters and Efficiency of Production Systems 94 Enterprise Configuration and Economics 95 Sualkuchi Cluster 95 Enterprise Configuration and Economics in Dhokuakhana Cluster 99 Status of Innovation and Relationship with Growth and Inclusion 103 Technological Innovations 104 Deepak Bharali and Design Making Tool: Chaneki 104 Deepak Baishya and Jari Twisting Machine 105 Sarat Deka and Thread Spooling Machine 106 Organizational Innovations 106 Sualkuchi Endogenous Tourism Project 106 Sualkuchi Institute of Fashion Technology 107 Concluding Observations 108 References 110 5 Informal Information-Exchange Networks in Rural Low-Tech Clusters 112 Introduction 112 Collective Innovation, Defensive Innovation, Neighbours and Networks 113 An Account of a Coir Cluster in Kerala 115 Technological Modernisation in Coir 117 Primary Fieldwork 119 The Innovation in Focus 121 Findings 121 Lessons 124 Policy Pointers 125 References 126 6 Commodity Markets, Computers and Inclusive Development: A Study of Marketing and Price Formation of Cardamom with e-Auctions 129 Introduction 129 Towards an Analytical Framework 131 System of Innovation in Cardamom Marketing and Spaces of Exclusion 134 Market Structure Under Traditional Auctions 134 Functioning of the Market 136 Price Variation Across Different Lots Under Traditional Auctions 138 Marketing and Price Formation Under e-Auction 141 Concluding Observations 146 References 147 7 Modern Genetics as an Opportunity for Inclusive and Sustainable Agriculture 149 The New Context 149 The National System of Innovation (NSI): A Framework 151 The Indian Context 153 HRT in India and the Policy Domain 154 HRT and Competence of the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) 155 Adoption of Hybrid Rice Technology 156 Genomics-based Innovation: the Marker-Assisted Selection (MAS) options 157 MAS Technology for Conferring Resistance Against Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) 158 MAS for Development of Water-Saving Rice Variety 159 Inter-locking Technological and Institutional Innovations 159 Policy Options for Inclusive Agricultural Development 161 References 164 8 Turnaround in Maternal and Child Healthcare: Institutional Innovation and Interactive Learning 166 Introduction 166 Study Objectives, Methodology and Data Used 167 NRHM and the Transformation of India’s Healthcare Delivery 168 About NRHM 168 Maternal and Child Health After NRHM 170 Institutional Innovation as Fundamental to Innovation Systems 179 Innovations in Social Technology and Institutional Learning 183 Institutional Innovations: ASHA, VHSNCs and RKS 184 Roles of ASHA 187 Technological Innovation 187 Incentive Structure for the ASHA 188 Role of the Anganwadi Worker 188 Interactive Learning 188 Concluding Observations 189 References 190 9 Inclusion Problems and Prospects: Introducing Gender in Agricultural Research and Education 191 Introduction 191 Gender Integration in Agricultural Curriculum and Farm Sector Innovations in the Kerala Agricultural University 194 Engendering Agricultural Research and Education for Innovation 201 Gender Integration in Agricultural Research and Inclusive Innovation Systems in India 204 Lessons Learnt and Strategies Suggested 205 References 208 10 Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Nurturing the Institutional Sine Qua Non for the Informal Sector 210 Introduction 210 Engagements with the State 212 SEs and the Developmental State 215 The State Through an SE Accelerator’s Lens 216 Business Facilitation Services 217 People and Finances 218 Knowledge and Skills 219 SEs and the Triple Bottom Line in Social and Business Engagements 220 Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship—Norm Making Capacities 222 Policies and Policy Instruments for Scaling-up the SE 224 The State and Upscaling the SE 226 A Tall Order—Strategic Engagement in the Civic Space 229 Persistence of Institutions or Ways of Working 229 Annexure: Three Cases - The State and Social Enterprises 233 Health Care (Case 1) 233 Health Care (Case 2) 234 Healthy Consumption (Case 3) 235 References 236 11 Learning from China: S&T and Innovation Policy Responsiveness 238 Introduction 238 India’s Position: Competition, Innovation, Knowledge Application 240 S&T and Innovation Policy Responsiveness and Major Gaps 250 Organization and Management of STI Policies 251 Target Centricity and Competitiveness 252 Organization and Management of R&D and Technology 253 Strategy for Maximizing Growth Using Core Strengths 254 References 257 The Options 259 12 Inclusive Innovation: Realizing the Options 260 The Importance of Options 261 Two Shifts 264 Innovation Illiteracy of the State? Sidelining Rural MSEs as an Example 269 Organized Knowledge for Policy: The Bliss of S&T for Rural India 271 References 274 Index 276