The dynamics and determinants of de jure standards: Evidence from the electronic and electrical engineering industries

This study evaluates the time intervals over which standards should be reviewed as a function of the standards' dynamics. By determining the optimum interval over which to review standards facilitates the creation of new product markets. Data for this study (about 15,000 active or withdrawn de jure standards) were collected. Analysis of these data resulted in several findings. First, the effective time interval over which standards should be reviewed differ as a function of the technological field in which the standard is used. Second, a standard's type (particularly design and symbol standards) also significantly affects the effective time interval for a standard's review. Third, the types of review (e.g., amendment) are significantly associated with the standards' effective terms. These findings allow for the validation of a mathematical model that explains the dynamics of the standard's value. This model allows for an analysis of the relationship between a standard's value and the type of review to which a standard should be subjected. The model features a critical value that uniformly explains de facto standards and de jure standards in terms of the standards' dynamics.