Realising the Marketing Advantages of International Standard-Setting Activities: Opportunities for Innovative Technology-Based SMEs

Abstract

Despite a growing literature exploring the impact of international standards on the long-term competitive position of large technology-based multinational enterprises and, as a corollary, how these firms participate in standard-setting, comparatively little attention has been given to these phenomena with regard to the internationalisation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is perhaps a reflection of a 'master storyline' that assumes international standard-setting activities are almost solely the purview of larger organisations. Accordingly, this paper explores how small and medium technology-based enterprises participate in international standard-setting processes and the strategic marketing advantages that may accrue through such participation, using a qualitative case-study approach involving six technology-based SMEs in Australia. Summary frameworks depicting different means of participation and marketing related benefits are presented. The findings suggest that innovative technology-based SMEs may use the international standard-setting environment and processes more strategically than often supposed.