Big versus small innovation

While 'big innovation' around mobiles may struggle in developing countries, 'small innovation' is booming. In 2003, the Chinese government developed an innovative standard that would help make mobile communications more secure. However, its attempts to introduce the standard were blocked by foreign multinationals. The Chinese innovation was technically superior to that of foreign competitors, but the multinationals used their financial and political influence to retain their dominant position.

By contrast, small-scale, user-led innovation around mobiles is producing:

• new businesses – such as the 'umbrella people' sat on the street selling phone calls with just a sunshade, SIM card and handset.
• new applications – such as using airtime as currency.
• new processes – communicating for free by hanging up calls before they connect, from simple 'beeping' to ask for a call back, to programming different ringtones for different customers, to know when someone needs a delivery or an order.

See also

'Counter-Networks in Standardization', Information Systems Journal, by Ping Gao, forthcoming

'User-led Innovations in Mobile Use in sub-Saharan Africa' Receiver, 14, by Jonathan Donner, 2005 (PDF)
www.vodafone.com/flash/receiver/14/articles/pdf/14_02.pdf

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