How Does Socio-technical Landscape Affect the Formation of Technical Standards?

Abstract

The formation of technical standards is a complex process that involves the integration of various technical resources and organizational resources. It is influenced by multiple factors. This paper focuses on four independent variables, namely market size, economic environment, infrastructure construction, and government support, which are regarded as different dimensions of the socio-technical landscape. Additionally, R&D investment is introduced as a mediator variable to construct a model that examines the role of the socio-technical landscape in the formation of technical standards. Empirical tests are conducted using relevant data from the 4G technology in China’s mobile communication industry. The study reveals that there is a positive causal relationship between market size, economic environment, infrastructure development, government support, and technology standards. Furthermore, it finds that R&D investment plays a significant mediating role between the economic environment and technology standards, infrastructure development and technology standards, and government support and technology standards. These findings provide valuable insights for enterprises and governments in promoting the formation of technical standards.