Structuring a firm's participation in the setting of information processing and telecommunications industry standards

A framework for examining a firm's participation in the development of public standards is proposed. Individual and organizational actions are linked to the development of the standard through the internal standards collectivity which formulates and implements the firm's response to the standard and the external standards-setting collectivity which produces and approves the standard. The underlying order or structure of each collectivity is described by five components: network of relationships, technological guideposts, coordination arrangements, distribution of power, and shared beliefs and values. The framework is used to juxtapose six interactions between the firm and the standards-setting process which differ in terms of the end-objective for the interaction. The framework can be used to specify the motive for the firm's participation in the development of a standard, to communicate to executives the complexities involved in implementing a standards strategy, to plan the implementation of a standards strategy, and to organize new learning from experiences in standards setting.<
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