Diffusion of Practice: The Curious Case of the Sino-German Technical Standardization Partnership

Abstract

At a time of deepening divisions between China and Global North countries, Germany and China are swimming against the tide by cooperating closely in the highly sensitive area of technical standardization. We offer an explanation of this puzzling partnership that combines insights from the IR policy diffusion and “practice turn” literatures. Based on interviews with participants and close observers of this partnership, we argue that that a diffusion of practice logic underpins China’s partnership with Germany. Despite the competitiveness of China’s high-tech sectors, this latecomer faces both formal and informal barriers to entry in global standardization processes. By partnering with Germany, one of the globe’s leading standards powers, China hopes to both cultivate a powerful ally in an increasingly contentious arena and also master the subtleties of standardization practice by working with an insider. For their part, German participants view the diffusion of standardization know-how as consistent with their interests as a status quo standard power and also vital to supporting German industry in China. Our analysis illustrates the utility of extending the diffusion framework to the study of transnational flows of practical knowledge. For the practice turn, our analysis highlights the exclusivity of “communities of practice” and draws attention to latecomers’ strategies for gaining entry to such clubs.