Abstract Information and communication technology are among the fastest growing industry sectors globally. One enabler for fast grow is created standards, which enables compatibility between technologies. This dissertation aims to create new knowledge concerning how standardization affects businesses that develop and sell technologies and technology-based products and services. More precisely this study focuses on the wireless telecommunication, which needs standards to function globally. This globalization and standardization development sets requirements for companies and organizations in the business; they are expected to be flexible, innovative, efficient, international, well resourced and cooperative. In order to achieve this on a global scale multiple actors — such as manufacturers, operators and developers — need to negotiate with a number of regional standardization bodies.

The standardization environment is under constant change; however, standards as such should remain stable. Understanding standardization processes has become important because new technologies, new forms of business organizations, trade issues and new institutions are emerging. All actors’ in the standardization process should more thoroughly understand their role in the process, and recognize the important relations between the stages. From the actors’ point of view the most beneficial issue in the wireless standardization process are networking and legitimacy of the process.

In this research we are interested in researching empirically how actors’ can possibly benefit from standardization processes in their businesses. As actors’ we regard as manufacturers, operators, regulators, standardization organizations and SMEs. It is important to identify key factors/inhibitors that shape the standardization process from the actors’ point of view.

The theoretical framework of this study is built on the institutional theory. This theory provides a perspective as to how the actors can assimilate and act as part of the standardization environment. The broad reach of the institutional perspective is its major strength, making it potentially relevant to all levels of analyzis and all time spans, from micro-level interactions to large-scale changes in nation-states. Standardization creates opportunities for actors such as market and technology insights, internationalizing, and networking.

The a priori dynamic process model developed shows the complexity and length of the wireless standardization process. From the process point of view the important points are the openness of the process, networking, cooperation, technological points and changes in the process. The new points which arose from the material include IPR issues, research, open atmosphere, globalization, licensing issues, flexible working procedure and interpretation of standards and document management.

The empirical data of this study is derived by interviews. The interviews were carried out during autumn 1998, 2000 and winter 2004. 35 experts were interviewed from different bodies involved in 3rd generation wireless standardization and software companies.