ABSTRACT
This chapter connects the vibrant cases of inclusive innovation in practice – as covered in Chapters 2 through 4 – with state-of-the-art literature on inclusive innovation in Southeast Asia and beyond. It details the concept and maps out the various ways in which inclusive innovation has manifested in policy and community-driven forms, responding back to the practices discussed in the three preceding chapters. It brings together our argument that inclusive innovation involves a wide range of technologies (from social innovation through to low-tech to ICT), constitutes new forms of innovation by multiple stakeholders, and involves problem-owners as problem-solvers in addressing environmental and social challenges. Our conceptualization of inclusive innovation according to “how,” “what,” and “where” aims to capture this range of efforts. In this last chapter, we also examine the future of inclusive innovation, particularly in Southeast Asia. We strive to unpack the gaps and solidify the working understanding of the concept of inclusive innovation as it is evolving. On the basis of this, we also offer a view for the way ahead, in the post-pandemic recovery. We close with a call to action for building the bridge between policy, practice, and theory.
