abstract: 'Background: There are significant differences in the meaning and use of

  the term `Reverse Innovation'' between industry circles, where the term

  originated, and health policy circles where the term has gained

  traction. It is often conflated with other popularized terms such as

  Frugal Innovation, Co-development and Trickle-up Innovation. Compared to

  its use in the industrial sector, this conceptualization of Reverse

  Innovation describes a more complex, fragmented process, and one with no

  particular institution in charge. It follows that the way in which the

  term `Reverse Innovation'', specifically, is understood and used in the

  healthcare space is worthy of examination.

  Methods: Between September and Decemsber 2014, we conducted eleven

  in-depth face-to-face or telephone interview with key informants from

  innovation, health and social policy circles, experts in international

  comparative policy research and leaders in the Reverse Innovation space

  in the United States. Interviews were open-ended with guiding probes

  into the barriers and enablers to Reverse Innovation in the US context,

  specifically also informants'' experience and understanding of the term

  Reverse Innovation. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed

  thematically using the process of constant comparison.

  Results: We describe three main themes derived from the interviews.

  First, `Reverse Innovation,'' the term, has marketing currency to

  convince policy-makers that may be wary of learning from or adopting

  innovations from unexpected sources, in this case Low-Income Countries.

  Second, the term can have the opposite effect - by connoting frugality,

  or innovation arising from necessity as opposed to good leadership, the

  proposed innovation may be associated with poor quality, undermining

  potential translation into other contexts. Finally, the term `Reverse

  Innovation'' is a paradox - it breaks down preconceptions of the

  directionality of knowledge and learning, whilst simultaneously

  reinforcing it.

  Conclusions: We conclude that this term means different things to

  different people and should be used strategically, and with some

  caution, depending on the audience.'
affiliation: 'Harris, M (Corresponding Author), St Marys Hosp, Inst Global Hlth Innovat,
  Praed St, London W2 1NY, England.

  Harris, M (Corresponding Author), Imperial Coll London, Sch Publ Hlth, Reynolds
  Bldg,St Dunstans Rd, London W6 8RP, England.

  Harris, Matthew, St Marys Hosp, Inst Global Hlth Innovat, Praed St, London W2 1NY,
  England.

  Harris, Matthew, Imperial Coll London, Sch Publ Hlth, Reynolds Bldg,St Dunstans
  Rd, London W6 8RP, England.

  Weisberger, Emily, Commonwealth Fund, 1 East 75th St, New York, NY 10021 USA.

  Silver, Diana, NYU, Dept Nutr Food Studies \& Publ Hlth, 411 Lafayette St, New York,
  NY 10003 USA.

  Dadwal, Viva, Johns Hopkins Univ, Bloomberg Sch Publ Hlth, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore,
  MD 21205 USA.

  Macinko, James, UCLA Fielding Sch Publ Hlth, Ctr Hlth Sci, 650 Charles E Young Dr
  South,Room 31-235B, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA.'
article-number: '36'
author: Harris, Matthew and Weisberger, Emily and Silver, Diana and Dadwal, Viva and
  Macinko, James
author-email: m.harris@imperial.ac.uk
author_list:
- family: Harris
  given: Matthew
- family: Weisberger
  given: Emily
- family: Silver
  given: Diana
- family: Dadwal
  given: Viva
- family: Macinko
  given: James
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1186/s12992-016-0175-7
eissn: 1744-8603
files: []
journal: GLOBALIZATION AND HEALTH
keywords: Diffusion of innovation; Evidence based medicine; Developing countries
keywords-plus: HEALTH; LESSONS; KNOWLEDGE; COMMUNITIES; INDIA; CARE
language: English
month: JUL 5
number-of-cited-references: '48'
orcid-numbers: 'Harris, Matthew/0000-0002-0005-9710

  Macinko, James/0000-0001-8055-5441'
papis_id: 3d3d16e1d61c5eb46b26fba1219c19ba
ref: Harris2016thatsnot
times-cited: '31'
title: 'That''s not how the learning works - the paradox of Reverse Innovation: a
  qualitative study'
type: article
unique-id: WOS:000379898500001
usage-count-last-180-days: '0'
usage-count-since-2013: '35'
volume: '12'
web-of-science-categories: Public, Environmental \& Occupational Health
year: '2016'