On Engagement With ICT Standards and Their Implementations in Open Source Software Projects

This paper presents novel results concerning engagement with ICT standards and their implementations in open source software (OSS). Specifically, findings draw from observations and analysis related to standards and implementations in the multimedia field. The first part of the study reports on experiences and insights from engagement with standards in the multimedia field and from implementation of such standards in OSS projects. The second part of the study focuses on the case of the ITU-T H.264 standard and the two OSS projects OpenH264 and x264 that both implement the standard, and reports on a characterisation of organisations that engage with and control the H.264 standard, and organisations that engage with and control OSS projects implementing the H.264 standard. Further, projects for standardisation and implementation of H.264 are contrasted with respect to mix of contributing organisations, and findings are related to organisational strategies of contributing organisations and previous research.

Achieving Conformance to Document Standards

In the context of long-term archival of digital assets, file formats that are standardized and designed for longevity such as PDF/A are preferred. However, due to the complexity of and ambiguities in PDF standards, it is far from trivial to either create standard-conformant files or check the conformance of any given file. This study investigates the challenges when checking real-world PDF files from public sector organizations meant for long-term archival for PDF/A conformance. Results show that only a small set of PDF files claims to conform to the PDF/A-1b specification variant and even fewer files pass conformance checks by various conformance checking tools. Challenges for conformance checking tools include both ambiguities in the standards’ technical specifications and limitations in the implementation.

The Link Between Standardization and Economic Growth

We analyze the link between standardization and economic growth by systematically reviewing leading economics journals, leading economic growth researchers’ articles, and economic growth-related books. We make the following observations: 1) No article has analyzed the link between standardization and economic growth in top5 economics journals between 1996 and 2018. 2) A representative sample of the leading researchers of economic growth has allocated little attention to the link between standardization and economic growth. 3) Typically, economic growth textbooks do not contain “standards” or “standardization” in their word indexes. These findings suggest that the economic growth theory has neglected the role of standardization.

Energy Efficiency Standards

The decrease in the regulative power of states has generated a governance gap that has been filled by, among others, international standard-setting bodies. In these bodies, private technical experts shape the rules that govern commonly used technologies as well as influence various societal outcomes. The legitimacy of such regulatory outsourcing is largely based on a variety of quasi-democratic mechanisms and principles, which these bodies have endeavored to make central to the standard-setting processes. This paper examines these legitimacy-seeking aspirations by comparing the normative claims with the actual practice of developing the international techno-policy standard for TVs by the International Electrotechnical Commission, based on interviews with stakeholders and numerous public and internal documents. The findings suggest that the process is inadequate if the goal is not just to bundle technical expertise but also to meet the standards of democratic governance. The study thus contributes to the literature on standard-setting and legitimacy beyond the nation-state.

Standardizing Social Justice in Digital Health

The bivalent nature of technology and its potential for adverse impacts are giving impetus to global efforts to ensure that the outcomes of technology are consistent with societal values and desired futures. Instruments such as legislation, standards, and ethical frameworks are being employed towards this end. This research investigates the domain of digital health, specifically health informatics, and asks the questions: What values should inform technical solutions in this domain? How can data justice, the infusing of social justice imperatives in data systems, be standardized in this domain? The paper presents findings from a review of data justice in health informatics supported by findings from a survey that explored key considerations for health data collection, processing, use, sharing, and exchange. The paper then presents the operationalization of the human data interaction framework through a health informatics system architecture to illustrate how the principles of legibility, agency, and negotiability can be standardized, mainstreamed, and embedded in health informatics.

The Economic Impact of Standards in Belgium

While several past studies have measured the impact of standards on indicators such as output and productivity for a variety of countries, a quantitative analysis that focuses on Belgium has not been performed yet. Based on a dataset containing sector level data spanning 25 years (1994-2018), the authors find that, next to capital investment and the number of patents, standards make a statistically significant, positive and substantial contribution to Belgian GDP as well as to labor productivity. More specifically, one additional standard will on average increase GDP by €2.04 million per year and will increase labor productivity per person employed by €11.5. In addition, standards contribute to about 0.2% of GDP, 19% of GDP growth, and 19% of labor productivity growth.

Cybersecurity Standardisation for SMEs

There are various challenges regarding the development and use of cybersecurity standards for SMEs. In particular, SMEs need guidance in interpreting and implementing cybersecurity practices and adopting the standards to their specific needs. As an empirical study, the workshop Cybersecurity Standards: What Impacts and Gaps for SMEs was co-organized by the StandICT.eu and SMESEC Horizon 2020 projects with the aim of identifying cybersecurity standardisation needs and gaps for SMEs. The workshop participants were from key stakeholder groups that include policymakers, standards developing organisations, SME alliances, and cybersecurity organisations. This paper highlights the key discussions and outcomes of the workshop and presents the themes, current initiatives, and plans towards cybersecurity standardisation for SMEs. The findings from the workshop and multivocal literature searches were used to formulate an agenda for future research.

The Business Effects of Standardization for SMEs

Standardization activity is a type of open innovation, specifically an outbound-revealing open innovation. Through standardization activities, a given technology spreads, its effects extend to the market, and the market expands. However, in many cases, competition intensifies, and price competition occurs. To succeed as global businesses, SMEs should take a strategy known as “Niche Top” in Japan. Standardization activities are more likely to constitute a risk for SMEs. However, the Japanese government has established a system that actively encourages SMEs to standardize. The authors of this manuscript conducted interviews with companies that are targets of this standardization system and investigated how these companies expand their businesses through standardization activities while still securing profits. The results show that standardization by SMEs does not cause the dissemination of technology and the expansion of markets; rather, it helps such SMEs erect barriers to market entry through the creation of standards and plays a large role in securing shares in niche markets.

Age-Friendly Standards Around ICT

As the European population ages, there is an escalating need for age-friendly standards to support development of effective products and services involving information and communication technologies (ICT), thereby improving usability for all consumers, including older people. Co-production with users through inclusive and participatory processes provides several benefits to standardization, including enhanced understanding of market needs, clearer identification and mitigation of risks, and increased legitimacy of the standards developed. Ideally, co-production includes users from a range of backgrounds. However, older people, especially those aged over 80 years, are often the least likely in the population to be involved. This paper reports on barriers and challenges to inclusive co-production from the perspectives of a range of stakeholders participating in the European Commission-funded project PROGRESSIVE: Progressive Standards around ICT for Active and Healthy Ageing. It identifies potential ways to improve the participation of older people in the co-production of standards.

Pro-Environmental Behaviour of EU Citizens

This article examines the pro-environmental behaviour of EU citizens and the potential connection with their attitudes towards common environmental legislation and environmental standards. It analyses factors of the pro-environmental behaviour of EU citizens and their attitudes towards EU environmental legislation and helping non-EU countries improve their environmental standards. The article uses cross-sectional regression analysis based on Special Eurobarometer survey. Respondents show a mostly positive view of EU environmental protection legislation and standards enforcement. Respondents with pro-environmental behaviour in their daily life are significantly more in favour to common environmental legislation and standards. Women, managers, and those interested in political affairs are more positive as well.