Public policy interventions for grassroots innovations: are we getting it right?

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the socio-technical elements of Grassroots Innovations (GRIs) cases in Malaysia and draws lessons for public policy intervention by accounting for the contextual nature of the GRIs. Our findings on the four successful Malaysian rural GRIs indicate the following. First, carefully formulated level-specific policy instruments are needed to facilitate the smooth transition of the various stages of GRIs. Second, given the heterogeneity nature of GRIs, policymakers should avoid generalized, oversimplified and one-fit policy approaches. In turn, public policy intervention should be flexible and clearly suited to the aspiration of the founders and their missions. More importantly, attempts to commercialize, similar to the business-oriented innovation policy and in the name of creating value defeats the purpose of GRIs thus jeopardizing the true value of GRIs. Instead, the evidences suggest that strengthening the stakeholder-innovator partnership in co-developing and co-delivering adds value to the grassroots innovators and society at large. It also has larger benefits of application in providing greater social benefits especially in solving communal problems.

KEYWORDS:

• Social innovation
• innovation policy
• inclusive development
• participatory policy
• Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Yayasan Inovasi Malaysia (YIM) and all interviewees who have provided their valuable inputs during the interview sessions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Boon-Kwee Ng is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Malaya.

Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad is Associate Professor at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Malaya.

VGR Chandran is Associate Professor at the Department of Development Studies, University of Malaya.

Nur Hanis Mohamad Noor is postgraduate candidate at the Department of Science and Technology Studies, University of Malaya.

ORCID

Boon-Kwee Ng http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3210-7032

Notes

1 Nonetheless, they are rich and capable in sourcing local and informal network, creative works and problem solving skills (see Gupta, 2016).

2 It is important to recognise the differences between GRIs and social innovations. Our understanding is that GRIs is mainly simple innovations derived within the local initiatives and mostly by an individual’s efforts to solve the local socio-economic problems. On the other hand, social innovations are seemed relatively more organised. They can be operated in the form of an individual initiative or an enterprise with a sustainable business model. Social innovations can operate trans-location and are not necessarily emerged within the designated local community. In many cases, social innovations involve the use of medium and high-tech applications.

3 The report is based on the Social Enterprise National Survey of 2015, which is the first of its kind in Malaysia. The report is based on in-depth interviews and surveys of 144 individuals during the period of November 2014 and June 2015 (MaGIC, 2015).

4 There was a Memorandum of Understanding signed in the year 2011 between NIF of India and YIM of Malaysia. In the MOU, NIF will impart their experiences to help Malaysia in developing its GRIs, e.g. GRIs scouting and documentation, value added, IPR protection and business development.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia, Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) [grant number FP036-2016].