Surviving In A Resource-Scarce Environment

Enterprises operating under extreme scarcity constraints often achieve their objectives by making the best out of what is at hand.

This “bricolage” approach enables enterprises to not only access the resources necessary to develop successfully, but also to unearth new ways of addressing unmet needs at low cost.

Traditionally, the bricolage approach has been regarded as a temporary method for newly emerging enterprises, as well as for multinational companies exploring new, low resource markets on a limited budget.

However, previous research has suggested that, if continued over time, bricolage will adversely affect company growth and performance. This is due to a number of factors, such as spreading resources and managerial efforts too thin, and the inability to advance and scale learning capabilities.

Is bricolage the same as ‘jugaad’ in that sense. And do Indian businesses therefore see themselves vulnerable to the same fate?