Abstract: How do latecomer firms motivate Less-is-More innovation in an emerging market? Studies of 9 cases embedded in two traditional manufacturing firms in China indicate that the foreign knowledge and prior experience are the conditions for motivating frugal innovations. Moreover, the interplay of organizational improvisation, prior experience and experimental leaning consists of main indigenous efforts, and these efforts are important motivations for frugal innovations. These results have theoretical implications for the literature of frugal innovation, latecomer firms, organizational learning, and also have practical implications for Chinese latecomer firms.