Innovation in Low-Tech Industries

Innovation in low-tech industries is an expression that has not yet attained a universal definition. The term innovation is defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as “the transformation of an idea into a new or improved product introduced on the market or a new or improved operational process used in industry and commerce” or “a new approach to a social service,” whereas “low-tech” can be understood, by reference to the OECD's sectoral list, as those industries that have a low degree of research and development (R&D) intensity over longer periods of time. Examples of low-tech industries within this framework, as explained by Thomas Hatzichronoglou, include paper printing and the manufacture or processing of textiles, clothing, food, beverages, tobacco, wood, and furniture. ...