Emerging digital technologies create novel conditions for understanding fundamental societal developments. The academic debate has given little attention to understanding the impact of these digital transformations on key areas such as sustainable development. Hence, this study explores how frugal innovations in the healthcare and energy sector in Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) markets drive social impact through the use of Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. This study focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms through which technology enabled frugal innovations drive social impact in BoP markets. Using a multiple case analysis approach, the results suggest a distinction between technology providers and enablers as two different types of enterprises working towards developing and commercializing IoT technologies in BoP markets. The findings show that while providers tend to use knowledge on local constrains as inputs to design their activities to achieve local embeddedness, enablers incorporate local constrains in the early technology development process to design customized solutions for local community needs. Findings also highlight that IoT capabilities enable social outcome creation at individual, community and value chain levels. In particular, IoT capabilities moderate the transition from reactive to preventive intervention through their focus on sensing, dynamicity and real-time intelligence.

新兴的数字技术为理解基本社会发展创造了新的条件。学术辩论很少关注理解这些数字化转型对可持续发展等关键领域的影响。因此，本研究探讨了金字塔底部 (BoP) 市场的医疗保健和能源领域的节俭创新如何通过使用物联网 (IoT) 技术来推动社会影响。本研究的重点是了解技术支持的节俭创新推动 BoP 市场社会影响的潜在机制。使用多案例分析方法，结果表明技术提供商和推动者之间的区别是两种不同类型的企业，致力于在 BoP 市场开发和商业化物联网技术。调查结果表明，虽然供应商倾向于使用本地约束知识作为输入来设计他们的活动以实现本地嵌入，但推动者将本地约束纳入早期技术开发过程中，以设计满足当地社区需求的定制解决方案。调查结果还强调，物联网功能能够在个人、社区和价值链层面创造社会成果。特别是，物联网功能通过专注于传感、动态性和实时智能，缓和了从反应性干预到预防性干预的转变。调查结果还强调，物联网功能能够在个人、社区和价值链层面创造社会成果。特别是，物联网功能通过专注于传感、动态性和实时智能，缓和了从反应性干预到预防性干预的转变。调查结果还强调，物联网功能能够在个人、社区和价值链层面创造社会成果。特别是，物联网功能通过专注于传感、动态性和实时智能，缓和了从反应性干预到预防性干预的转变。