The resource evolution of standard alliance by technology standardization

Purpose This paper aims to explore the evolution mechanism of resources in a standard alliance that are matched with resources required at different standardization stages from the viewpoint of dynamic matching. How core enterprises in an alliance allocate resources, select member enterprises and maintain the normal operation of an alliance, according to the resource evolution of a standard alliance, is an important issue when dealing with the implementation of technology standardization. Design/methodology/approach The authors have chosen the Intelligent Grouping and Resource Sharing (IGRS) standard alliance of computer companies in China as the object of this study. The authors have built indices to identify core enterprises in the alliance from the viewpoint of network organization. The authors also collected data from authoritative news websites concerning patents and cooperative projects undertaken by 216 enterprises in the IGRS alliance during the period from 2002 to 2016, and they have computed and analyzed these data by using UCINET 6.0 software and social network analysis methodology to identify core enterprises at different standardization stages, thus revealing the evolution mechanism for resources in the standard alliance. Findings Technology standardization is divided into R&D, industrialization and marketization stages, and the standard alliance requires different resources to satisfy what is required at each of those different standardization stages. While technology standardization is a process during which technology systems standards are continuously being perfected and the standard product market is continuously expanding, the development of technology standardization affects the evolutionary processes of the core enterprises and affects the selection of member enterprises in the standard alliance. Practical implications The results obtained will assist the standard alliance to select proper member enterprises and dynamically match the alliance’s resources with the resources required at different standardization stages to speed up the implementation of independent standardization in China. Originality/value This study demonstrates the evolution mechanism of resources in technology standard alliances at different standardization stages by using quantitative analysis methodology, and it enriches the research on which elements are influential for technology standardization’s development in the context of China’s social, economic and cultural characteristics.