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The other angle of Maslow's pyramid: How scarce environments trigger low-opportunity-cost innovations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2019

Jordane Boudesseul
Affiliation:
Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, Lima 33, Perújboudess@ulima.edu.pe
Cathy Rubiños
Affiliation:
Departamento Académico de Marketing y Negocios Internacionales, Universidad del Pacífico, Lima 11, Perúca.rubinosv@up.edu.pe Centro de Investigación de la Universidad del Pacífico, Universidad del Pacífico, Lima 11, Perú.

Abstract

Is it true that innovation occurs only in abundant environments? Baumard defends that increased standards of living are a necessary condition for a change in life history strategy to help understand the Industrial Revolution. Here, we argue that many examples of innovations occur in scarce environments when there is near-zero opportunity cost. We suggest potential psychological pathways to explain this dual-cognitive process.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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