Standardization as an Organizational Capability: Examples from a Global Player in the Information and Communication Technology Industry

This study examines the organizational capabilities that firms develop in order to influence and adapt to standards. Standards are voluntary rules or guidelines developed by standard-setting organizations or consortia in order to promote compatibility/interoperability, minimum quality, variety reduction, and information. We argue that firms develop specific capabilities for assessing which emerging standards are likely to become dominant, and in order to successfully influence the development of new standards. Our argument is illustrated by a case-study of a global player in the ICT-sector.