[HICSS]

Standards and Standardization
Minitrack, HICSS-40

The minitrack on “Standards and Standardization” is part of the HICSS-40 conference, to be held in held in Waikoloa on the Big Island of Hawaii. The conference will take place from January 3-6, 2007.

This is the fourth HICSS minitrack related to standards; see the minitrack webpage for information on previous papers and topics.

Contents

Minitrack Chairs

Joel West
College of Business
San José State University
jwest2@mail.sjsu.edu
Kalle Lyytinen
Weatherhead School of Management
Case Western Reserve University
kalle@po.cwru.edu

The minitrack is part of the Internet and the Digital Economy track, chaired by David King and Alan Dennis.

Abstract

Standards and standardization are of crucial importance for the creation and management of information systems.

At a technical level, standards provide interoperability between system components, either for peer-to-peer operation or within hierarchical architectures (stacks). The standardized elements range from levels of electrical signals to the semantics of knowledge transmitted between systems.

Internal standardization (such as through the adoption of reference platforms) provides for efficiencies of procurement and administration, while at the same time constraining or even foreclosing options for future systems deployment. Between organizations, standards facilitate the modular division of labor in the provision of complementary assets across a value networks.

From mobile telephones to web services, standardization efforts have defined the rules of competition and cooperation for an entire industry segment. These efforts may apply to a specific industry domain, or apply to infrastructure that crosses multiple industries. Such standardization can arise from market, hierarchy or network mechanisms.

Standards choices and adoption represent also a range of challenges related deployment of power, institutional pressure, reliance on network externalities or generation of bandwagon effects. These challenges need to be addressed at the level of individuals, organizations and industries or nations or regions. Relevant theories of economics, strategy, sociology of knowledge and diffusion of innovations are applicable to addressing these challenges.

Possible Topics

These are just a few of the many possible topics suitable for the minitrack:

For ideas about suitable topics, you may also wish to consult the programs for HICSS-34, HICSS-38 and HICSS-39 minitracks. However, these should not constrain your choices, as we encourage and welcome new topics and approaches to the issues of standards and standardization.

Prospective authors are encouraged to contact either of the minitrack chairs in advance of the June 15 deadline if they have questions about the suitability of a potential submission.

Key Dates

June 15, 2006 Manuscript must be submitted through the HICSS online submission system
August 15, 2006 Minitrack chairs send notices of accepted manuscripts to authors
September 15, 2006 Deadline for proceedings version of manuscript
September 15, 2006 Deadline for conference registration by at least one author
December 2006 Minitrack date and schedule posted
January 4-6, 2007 HICSS-40 conference sessions

HICSS Submission Policies

General HICSS submission policies are:

Additional policies (including online submission procedures) will be posted at the main conference website.
Last Updated February 20, 2006

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