The Dynamics of Standard Setting

The purpose of this article is to analyse the dynamics of social networks in standard making process, and to show how a standard becomes a means for aligning complex social networks. Alignment of networks is nothing but an alignment of actors' interests involved in the standard making process. The standardisation process is communication rich and the dynamics of networks is based on information exchange flows, which take place at intraand inter-organisational levels. Actors find themselves in a continuous process of negotiation of interests, powers, resources, etc. Even assuming that the stability of network is needed for a smooth project running, the networks are subject to change and the change is necessary condition for successful standard development. Both stability and transformation are embedded into social networks. In this work we are approaching social networks by looking at standard making processes. Social networks are formed at different stages of standard development and service implementation. Three stages can be identified: inception of standard making process, also referred to as a knowledge creation cycle, the stage of technology diffusion from laboratory to the market, and the transformation stage from the knowledge creation to diffusion. These stages can not necessarily be distinguished on a time scale from one another. We argue that standards are boundary objects which align interests of both standard makers and adopters. We are applying Actor Network theory (ANT) to analyse the dynamics of social networks in the standardisation process, a question which has been overlooked by researchers to date. The proposed approach is demonstrated on the analysis of the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) standards development.