Navi Radjou: Creative problem-solving in the face of extreme limits

譯者: 杏儀 歐陽 審譯者: Adrienne Lin

When you grow up in a developing country like India, as I did,

要是你跟我一樣在發展中國家長大， 譬如印度，

you instantly learn to get more value from limited resources

很快你就學會從有限資源中獲取更多價值，

and find creative ways to reuse what you already have.

學會發掘新意，重複利用已有資源。

Take Mansukh Prajapati, a potter in India.

曼蘇克•帕佳帕提是一位印度陶匠。

He has created a fridge made entirely of clay

他發明了一種冰箱，僅用粘土製成，

that consumes no electricity.

無需使用電力。

He can keep fruits and vegetables fresh for many days.

新鮮蔬果可以儲存許多天。

That's a cool invention, literally.

這可是酷斃了的發明。

In Africa, if you run out of your cell phone battery, don't panic.

要是你身處非洲，手機沒電，不用驚慌。

You will find some resourceful entrepreneurs

你會碰見一些法寶多多的企業家。

who can recharge your cell phone using bicycles.

他們可以用單車來幫你的手機充電。

And since we are in South America,

既然我們現在身處南美，

let's go to Lima in Peru,

我們就看看秘魯的首都利馬。

a region with high humidity

該地區濕度高，

that receives only one inch of rainfall each year.

但每年降雨量只有一英寸（約25.4毫米）。

An engineering college in Lima designed a giant advertising billboard

利馬一所工學院設計了一座大型露天廣告牌，

that absorbs air humidity and converts it into purified water,

能夠吸收濕氣中的水分，轉化成純淨水。

generating over 90 liters of water every day.

每天可以生產超過 90 公升水。

The Peruvians are amazing.

秘魯人很厲害。

They can literally create water out of thin air.

他們可以「無中生有」， 從空氣中變出水。

For the past seven years,

過去七年裡，

I have met and studied hundreds of entrepreneurs

我遇見過、研究過數以百計的企業家，

in India, China, Africa and South America, and they keep amazing me.

遍布印度、中國、非洲、南美洲， 他們讓我驚嘆不已。

Many of them did not go to school.

他們當中許多都沒上過學校。

They don't invent stuff in big R&D labs.

他們的發明不是 在大型研發中心裡誕生的。

The street is the lab.

大街大巷，就是他們的實驗室。

Why do they do that?

為什麼他們要這樣？

Because they don't have the kind of basic resources we take for granted,

因為我們理所當然 擁有的基本資源，他們沒有。

like capital and energy,

譬如資本、能源，

and basic services like healthcare and education

還有醫療保險和教育之類的基本資源，

are also scarce in those regions.

在那些地區少之又少。

When external resources are scarce, you have to go within yourself

既然外在的資源遙不可及， 你就必須靠自己，

to tap the most abundant resource, human ingenuity,

利用最豐富的資源——人類智慧，

and use that ingenuity to find clever ways to solve problems with limited resources.

去尋找聰明的辦法， 運用有限資源去解決問題。

In India, we call it Jugaad.

在印度，我們稱之為「組加」（Jugaad）

Jugaad is a Hindi word

「組加」在印度語中意為

that means an improvised fix, a clever solution born in adversity.

在毫無準備的情況下解決問題， 在逆境中應運而生的智慧方案。

Jugaad solutions are not sophisticated or perfect,

組加方案不複雜、也不是完美無缺，

but they create more value at lower cost.

但是可以用更低的成本，創造更多的價值。

For me, the entrepreneurs who will create Jugaad solutions

在我看來，創造組加方案的企業家

are like alchemists.

就像煉金術師一樣神奇。

They can magically transform adversity into opportunity,

他們可以將逆境神奇地轉化為機遇，

and turn something of less value into something of high value.

將原來低價值的事物變成高價值。

In other words, they mastered the art of doing more with less,

他們以更少價值創造更多價值， 「組加」游刃有餘，

which is the essence of frugal innovation.

這就是節儉發明的精髓。

Frugal innovation is the ability to create more economic and social value

節儉發明，指能夠用更少的資源

using fewer resources.

創造更經濟優惠的社會價值。

Frugal innovation is not about making do; it's about making things better.

節儉發明的目的，不是湊合著使用資源， 而是讓世界變得更美好。

Now I want to show you how, across emerging markets,

現在我想向各位展示，在新興市場上，

entrepreneurs and companies are adopting frugal innovation on a larger scale

企業家和公司是如何大量使用節儉發明

to cost-effectively deliver healthcare and energy to billions of people

向數以十億計的低收入高志向人群

who may have little income but very high aspirations.

提供高性價比的醫療保險和能量。

Let's first go to China,

我們首先看看中國。

where the country's largest I.T. service provider, Neusoft,

中國最大的資訊科技 服務供應商東軟集團

has developed a telemedicine solution

研發了一套遠程醫療方案

to help doctors in cities remotely treat old and poor patients

幫助城市中的醫生遠程治療

in Chinese villages.

山村裡年老貧窮的病人。

This solution is based on simple-to-use medical devices

這套方案主要使用容易操作的醫療設備，

that less qualified health workers like nurses can use in rural clinics.

農村診所的護士等普通醫療人員也能使用。

China desperately needs these frugal medical solutions

中國亟需這樣的節儉醫療方案，

because by 2050 it will be home to over half a billion senior citizens.

因為到了 2050 年， 老年人口會達過五億。

Now let's go to Kenya,

現在我們來看看肯亞，

a country where half the population uses M-Pesa, a mobile payment solution.

該國一半人都在用一種 叫 M-Pesa 的手機付款方式。

This is a great solution for the African continent

在非洲大陸，這是相當了不起，

because 80 percent of Africans don't have a bank account,

因為 80% 的非洲人都沒有銀行帳戶，

but what is exciting is that M-Pesa is now becoming the source

令人振奮的是，目前在能源等領域中

of other disruptive business models in sectors like energy.

M-Pesa 已成為其他顛覆性經營模式的資源。

Take M-KOPA, the home solar solution that comes literally in a box

舉例來說，M-KOPA 是一盒太陽能家庭設備，

that has a solar rooftop panel, three LED lights,

其中包括太陽能面板、三盞 LED 燈、

a solar radio, and a cell phone charger.

太陽能接收器、手機充電器。

The whole kit, though, costs 200 dollars, which is too expensive for most Kenyans,

整套設備大約是 200 美元， 對於肯亞大眾來說太貴了。

and this is where mobile telephony can make the solution more affordable.

而手機卻可以讓大家都買得起這套設備。

Today, you can buy this kit by making an initial deposit of just 35 dollars,

今天，只要首付 35 美金， 就可以購買這套設備，

and then pay off the rest by making a daily micro-payment of 45 cents

剩下的可以通過手機， 每天分期支付 45 美分。

using your mobile phone.

Once you've made 365 micro-payments, the system is unlocked,

第 365 次付款完成之後， 系統就會解鎖，

and you own the product and you start receiving clean, free electricity.

你就擁有這個產品， 開始享受免費的環保電能。

This is an amazing solution for Kenya,

在肯亞，這套方案相當出眾，

where 70 percent of people live off the grid.

因為 70% 的人日常生活 在沒有電能的條件下。

This shows that with frugal innovation

這也證明了，憑藉節儉發明，

what matters is that you take what is most abundant, mobile connectivity,

你可以利用最豐富的資源，譬如手機網路，

to deal with what is scarce, which is energy.

去解決短缺問題，譬如能源。

With frugal innovation, the global South is actually catching up

憑藉節儉發明，南部地區在真正地接近、

and in some cases even leap-frogging the North.

甚至超越北部地區的發展。

Instead of building expensive hospitals, China is using telemedicine

在中國，遠程醫療取代了昂價的醫院工程，

to cost-effectively treat millions of patients,

為數以百萬計的病人 提供符合成本效益的治療，

and Africa, instead of building banks and electricity grids,

在非洲，不是去建新的銀行和電網，

is going straight to mobile payments and distributed clean energy.

而是直接用手機支付和分散式的乾淨能源。

Frugal innovation is diametrically opposed to the way we innovate in the North.

節儉發明，與我們北部地區的 發明方式截然不同。

I live in Silicon Valley,

我住在矽谷，

where we keep chasing the next big technology thing.

那裡的人一直追求了不起的新技術。

Think of the iPhone 5, 6, then 7, 8.

想想 iPhone 5、6、7、8。

Companies in the West spend billions of dollars investing in R&D,

西方企業投資數以十億計美元在研發上，

and use tons of natural resources to create ever more complex products,

利用數以噸計的自然資源 來創造更加複雜的產品，

to differentiate their brands from competition,

就是為了讓自己的品牌在競爭中突圍而出，

and they charge customers more money for new features.

然後借著這些新功能向顧客收取更多費用。

So the conventional business model in the West is more for more.

因此，西方傳統商業模式 是以更多價值換取更多價值。

But sadly, this more for more model is running out of gas, for three reasons:

但不幸的是這種模式要走到盡頭了。 原因有三：

First, a big portion of customers in the West

第一，西方的大量顧客

because of the diminishing purchasing power,

由於消費力日漸減弱

can no longer afford these expensive products.

不再買得起這些高價產品。

Second, we are running out of natural water and oil.

第二，自然水資源和石油資源在不斷耗盡。

In California, where I live, water scarcity is becoming a big problem.

我居住在加州， 那裡的水資源缺乏問題越來越嚴重。

And third, most importantly,

第三，也是最重要的，

because of the growing income disparity

西方富人和中產階級之間的 收入差距越來越大，

between the rich and the middle class in the West,

there is a big disconnect between existing products and services

已有的產品服務與顧客的基本需要

and basic needs of customers.

越來越不相關。

Do you know that today,

在座是否知道，

there are over 70 million Americans today who are underbanked,

目前有逾七千萬美國人沒有得到足夠的金融服務，

because existing banking services

因為已有的銀行服務

are not designed to address their basic needs.

不是為了滿足他們的基本需求而設計的。

The prolonged economic crisis in the West is making people think

西方的經濟危機揮之不去，讓大眾以為

that they are about to lose the high standard of living

他們就要失去高生活標準，

and face deprivation.

即將面臨貧困問題。

I believe that the only way we can sustain growth and prosperity in the West

我認為，西方持續發展和繁榮的唯一出路是

is if we learn to do more with less.

我們要學會用更少價值創造更多價值。

The good news is, that's starting to happen.

好消息是，這已經開始發生。

Several Western companies are now adopting frugal innovation

數家西方企業正在通過節儉發明，

to create affordable products for Western consumers.

為西方消費者創造經濟實惠的產品。

Let me give you two examples.

我為大家舉兩個例子。

When I first saw this building,

首次看到這座建築，

I told myself it's some kind of postmodern house.

我以為這是一座後現代房子。

Actually, it's a small manufacturing plant set up by Grameen Danone,

但實際上這是丹璐·格萊珉 設計的一座小型生產房，

a joint venture between Grameen Bank of Muhammad Yunus

是穆罕默德·尤努斯的格萊珉銀行

and the food multinational Danone

以及丹璐跨國食品公司的合資企業，

to make high-quality yogurt in Bangladesh.

目的是在孟加拉製作高質優格。

This factory is 10 percent the size of existing Danone factories

該廠房只有丹璐其他廠房的十分之一大，

and cost much less to build.

工程花費小。

I guess you can call it a low-fat factory.

我想大家可以稱之為「低脂」廠房。

Now this factory, unlike Western factories that are highly automated,

西方廠房高度自動化，但目前該廠房

relies a lot on manual processes in order to generate jobs for local communities.

為了給當地社區帶來就業，主要依賴手工製作。

Danone was so inspired by this model

丹璐對這種模式相當有信心，

that combines economic efficiency and social sustainability,

因為該模式結合經濟效益和社會永續性發展，

they are planning to roll it out in other parts of the world as well.

於是計劃在世界其他地方建立該模式。

Now, when you see this example,

現在大家看著這個例子，

you might be thinking, "Well, frugal innovation is low tech."

可能在想：「噢，節儉發明就是技術含量低。」

Actually, no.

實際不是這樣。

Frugal innovation is also about making high tech

節儉發明同時也是將高科技

more affordable and more accessible to more people.

帶給更多人、變得更經濟實惠、更大眾化。

Let me give you an example.

我為大家舉一個例子。

In China, the R&D engineers of Siemens Healthcare

在中國，西門子醫療保健公司的研發工程師

have designed a C.T. scanner that is easy enough to be used

設計了一款容易操作的電腦斷層掃描儀，

by less qualified health workers, like nurses and technicians.

就連護士、技師等 普通資格醫療人員也可以使用。

This device can scan more patients on a daily basis,

這部設備每天可以掃描更多病人，

and yet consumes less energy,

並且消耗更少能源，

which is great for hospitals, but it's also great for patients

對於醫院來說是福音， 對於病人來說也是福音，

because it reduces the cost of treatment by 30 percent

因為治療費用可以降低 30%，

and radiation dosage by up to 60 percent.

輻射劑量可以降低最多 60%。

This solution was initially designed for the Chinese market,

該方案最初是為中國市場而設計的，

but now it's selling like hotcakes in the U.S. and Europe,

但目前在美國和歐洲也在熱賣，

where hospitals are pressured to deliver quality care at lower cost.

因為當地的醫院亟需 以更低成本提供高質服務。

But the frugal innovation revolution

但是在西方，節儉發明革命

in the West is actually led by creative entrepreneurs

實際上是由創意企業家引導的，

who are coming up with amazing solutions

他們不斷構思出突破方案，

to address basic needs in the U.S. and Europe.

來滿足美國和歐洲地區的基本需求。

Let me quickly give you three examples of startups

我為大家快速講述三個 極其啟發我的創業例子。

that personally inspire me.

The first one happens to be launched by my neighbor in Silicon Valley.

第一個碰巧是我在矽谷的鄰居推出的，

It's called gThrive.

名為「農生」(gThrive)。

They make these wireless sensors designed like plastic rulers

他們製造這些無線感應器， 設計像膠尺，

that farmers can stick in different parts of the field

實際上是給農民扎在農地各處

and start collecting detailed information like soil conditions.

用來收集各種訊息，譬如土壤環境。

This dynamic data allows farmers to optimize use of water energy

這些動態數據 能讓農民優化使用水能源，

while improving quality of the products and the yields,

又可以提高產品和農田的質量，

which is a great solution for California, which faces major water shortage.

對於嚴重缺水的加州來說， 是相當了不起的發明。

It pays for itself within one year.

該發明在一年內就回本。

Second example is Be-Bound, also in Silicon Valley,

第二個例子是「必寳」(Be-Bound)，也出自矽谷。

that enables you to connect to the Internet

該發明可讓你在沒有寬頻、 無線網路、3G、4G 的地方，

even in no-bandwidth areas where there's no wi-fi or 3G or 4G.

都可以連接到網路。

How do they do that?

他們怎樣做到？

They simply use SMS, a basic technology, but that happens to be the most reliable

他們使用的不過是簡訊，

技術雖簡單，但確實在全球最可靠、最普遍。

and most widely available around the world.

Three billion people today with cell phones can't access the Internet.

今天有三十億手機用戶無法使用網路。

This solution can connect them to the Internet in a frugal way.

該方案可以讓他們省錢地連上網。

And in France, there is a startup calle Compte Nickel,

在法國，有家新興企業 叫「剛立閣」(Compte Nickel)

在不斷改革銀行金融機構。

It allows thousands of people to walk into a Mom and Pop store

大眾可以隨意走進小商店，

and in just five minutes activate the service that gives them two products:

五分鐘內就可以啟用兩種產品服務：

an international bank account number and an international debit card.

國際銀行帳戶號碼和國際銀行扣帳卡。

They charge a flat annual maintenance fee of just 20 Euros.

他們僅收取 20 歐元年費。

That means you can do all banking transactions --

也就是說，你可以進行所有銀行交易，

send and receive money, pay with your debit card --

轉款、收錢、扣帳卡付款等等，

all with no additional charge.

統統都無需額外的手續費。

This is what I call low-cost banking without the bank.

這就是我所稱的 無銀行的低成本銀行服務。

Amazingly, 75 percent of the customers using this service

讓我們吃驚的是， 使用該服務的 75% 顧客

are the middle-class French who can't afford high banking fees.

是法國中產階級人士， 給不起昂貴銀行費用。

Now, I talked about frugal innovation, initially pioneered in the South,

關於節儉發明的例子， 我已經講了很多，

now being adopted in the North.

最初是在南部地區開拓， 現正為北方地區採納。

Ultimately, we would like to see

最終，我們希望看見

developed countries and developing countries

發達國家和發展中國家

come together and co-create frugal solutions

齊手合作，共同創造節儉方案，

that benefit the entire humanity.

讓全人類受益。

The exciting news is that's starting to happen.

令人振奮的是，這已開始發生了。

Let's go to Nairobi to find that out.

我們去看看肯亞的首都奈洛比。

Nairobi has horrendous traffic jams.

奈洛比的交通堵塞相當惡劣。

When I first saw them, I thought, "Holy cow."

我第一次看見的時候就想： 「塞得可夠牛的。」

Literally, because you have to dodge cows as well when you drive in Nairobi.

沒錯，因為在奈洛比開車你得避著牛群。

To ease the situation,

為了改善狀況，

the engineers at the IBM lab in Kenya are piloting a solution called Megaffic,

肯亞 IBM 實驗室的工程師 正在試用一套名為「馬架飛」(Megaffic) 的方案。

which initially was designed by the Japanese engineers.

該方案最初由日本工程師設計。

Unlike in the West, Megaffic doesn't rely on roadside sensors,

與西方不同的是， 馬架飛不依賴路側感應器，

which are very expensive to install in Nairobi.

因為在奈洛比太貴了。

Instead they process images, traffic data,

他們從奈洛比街道的 幾個低解析度攝影機

collected from a small number of low-resolution webcams in Nairobi streets,

收集並處理影像和交通數據，

and then they use analytic software to predict congestion points,

然後使用分析軟體，預測交通高峰期，

and they can SMS drivers alternate routes to take.

之後可以簡訊通知司機 其他可選擇路段。

Granted, Megaffic is not as sexy as self-driving cars,

當然，馬架飛不像 自動駕駛汽車那樣炫酷，

but it promises to take Nairobi drivers from point A to point B

但是可以保證讓奈洛比的司機

at least 20 percent faster.

用快 20% 的速度，從甲地去到乙地。

And earlier this year, UCLA Health launched its Global Lab for Innovation,

今年初，加州大學洛杉磯分校的 醫療中心設立了全球發明實驗室，

which seeks to identify frugal healthcare solutions anywhere in the world

立向尋找世界各地的節儉醫療方案，

that will be at least 20 percent cheaper than existing solutions in the U.S.

比美國目前的方案節省至少 20%

and yet more effective.

但卻更有效的方案。

It also tries to bring together innovators from North and South

同時也嘗試將南北部地區的 發明家聚在一起，

to cocreate affordable healthcare solutions for all of humanity.

聯手為全人類發明 經濟大眾的醫療方案。

I gave tons of examples of frugal innovators from around the world,

世界各地的節儉發明例子， 我已經給了很多，

but the question is, how do you go about adopting frugal innovation?

但問題是，大家要怎樣利用節儉發明？

Well, I gleaned out three principles from frugal innovators around the world

我從各地的節儉發明家上 收集了三個要點，

that I want to share with you

想在這裡跟大家分享，

that you can apply in your own organization

讓大家知道可以在自己的組織中

to do more with less.

用少量價值創造更多價值。

The first principle is: Keep it simple.

第一要點：一切從簡。

Don't create solutions to impress customers.

不要為了向客戶炫耀才創造方案。

Make them easy enough to use and widely accessible,

方案需要簡單明了， 容易操作，經濟大眾，

like the C.T. scanner we saw in China.

譬如中國的電腦斷層掃描儀。

Second principle: Do not reinvent the wheel.

第二要點：切勿重複發明資源。

Try to leverage existing resources and assets that are widely available,

嘗試利用廣泛易得的已有資源，

like using mobile telephony to offer clean energy

譬如說用手機來提供乾淨能源，

or Mom and Pop stores to offer banking services.

在小商店內提供銀行服務。

Third principle is: Think and act horizontally.

第三點：橫向思考和行動。

Companies tend to scale up vertically

企業傾向於垂直發展，

by centralizing operations in big factories and warehouses,

將程序集中在大型廠房和倉庫內，

but if you want to be agile and deal with immense customer diversity,

但如果想要靈活處理 顧客龐大而多樣的需求，

you need to scale out horizontally using a distributed supply chain

就需要橫向發展，使用分散的供應鏈，

with smaller manufacturing and distribution units,

建立更小的生產和分配單位，

like Grameen Bank has shown.

格萊珉銀行就是一個例子。

The South pioneered frugal innovation out of sheer necessity.

出於自身的需要， 南部地區開拓了節儉發明。

The North is now learning to do more and better with less

目前北部地區在面對資源短缺限制時，

as it faces resource constraints.

也在學習用更少資源 做更多更有效的事情。

As an Indian-born French national who lives in the United States,

身為出生於印度的法國人，居住在美國，

my hope is that we transcend this artificial North-South divide

我希望我們能超越 這道所謂的南北部地區分界線，

so that we can harness the collective ingenuity

可以掌握世界各地發明家的集體智慧

of innovators from around the world

to cocreate frugal solutions

共同創造節儉方案，

that will improve the quality of life of everyone in the world,

改善全人類的生活質量，

while preserving our precious planet.

保護我們寶貴的星球。

Thank you very much.

謝謝大家。

(Applause)

（掌聲）