--- - |2+ Objective The article adopts a bottom‐up approach to examine the factors that influence the design, development, and diffusion of social innovation. These factors pertain to sociocultural complexities that complicate the commercial environment. Methods This article presents findings from an ethnographic study of women market traders in Fijian informal marketplaces. These informal marketplaces are communal exchange arenas where many economically disadvantaged individuals come to make their living. Results Findings highlight the resiliency of these traders in overcoming ambiguities and pressures that exist in these marketplaces. Conclusion An understanding of women market traders’ experimentation and strategies to manage daily tensions and policy‐related contradictions can potentially open up ideas for innovative business practices. - 'Social Science Quarterly, Volume 100, Issue 6, Page 2115-2133, October 2019. '