Standardized general purpose technologies: A note

Abstract

General purpose technologies (GPTs) have been important drivers of industrial revolutions and economic development, but their link to standards has not been analyzed systematically. We document that all of the most common examples of GPTs—steam, railway, electricity and information (and communication) technology—have been subject to standardization efforts over time. Standards development has acted as an institution that has more or less made an impact on the technological progress in these fields and their application sectors. While empirical studies of GPTs have utilized, among other things, patent data to identify GPTs, our observations indicate that the analysis of standards organizations provides another window to the evolution of GPTs and tracking of standardization efforts can be useful in identifying emerging GPTs. Generally, viewing the evolution of GPTs via the lens of standards development may help future GPT research in providing structure and hierarchies, thus making the empirical analysis of GPTs more systematic.