Can frugal innovation be disruptive?

In the paper we address the issue: is Frugal Innovation disruptive? We contribute to the Innovation Studies by putting in relation two fields until now separated: the first dealing with Frugal Innovation and the second analyzing Disruption caused by Innovations. Our analysis starts with de definition of disruptive innovation given by Christensen et al. (2015): the disruption process begins, not when new innovators come in the industry through the markets neglected by the insiders, but when they chase on the insiders territory. We support the view that the innovations driving the disruption process cannot be frugal. The authors address as well the impact of Business Models in the disruption and examine the contexts and the conditions of possible disruptions caused by frugal innovations (as exceptions to the general trend).
JEL Codes: O1, O14, O33, Q5