Trends and managerial tools in technology standards development

This paper presents a general overview of technology standards development and their ramifications to technology management. It is well established that technology standards foster ecosystems which in turn facilitate opportunities for innovation and product differentiation. How and why are such technology ecosystems created in the first place? What are the rules that govern the various forms of standards development organizations? Can participants protect their intellectual properties while sharing knowledge and expertise with would-be competitors to enable an interoperable pool of technologies and products? After a survey of the present state of technology standards development and a thorough analysis of a case study, we will turn our attention to several emerging trends that portend of disruptions in this equilibrium. Some of these trends include the new dynamics of competition and collaboration in standards development consortia, the tensions between different approaches in technology domains such as computing, consumer electronics and communications, the rising influence of regulations that inform technology standards development and, last but not least, the impact of developing economies as a consequence of globalization.