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Competing with dominant global standards in a catching-up context. The case of mobile standards in China

Author

Listed:
  • Pierre Vialle

    (IMT-BS - MMS - Département Management, Marketing et Stratégie - TEM - Télécom Ecole de Management - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris])

  • Junjie Song

    (IMT-BS - MMS - Département Management, Marketing et Stratégie - TEM - Télécom Ecole de Management - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris])

  • Jian Zhang

    (IMT-BS - MMS - Département Management, Marketing et Stratégie - TEM - Télécom Ecole de Management - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris] - IMT-BS - Institut Mines-Télécom Business School - IMT - Institut Mines-Télécom [Paris])

Abstract

The process of diffusion of standards and competition between standards is susceptible to initial conditions and is path dependent. In this paper, the authors are interested in investigating to which extent economic actions and public policy initiatives can modify the outcome of a path-dependent process of competition between standards. They also aim to identify the factors that affect the success of such initiatives. To this end they analyse competition between mobile standards in China across two generations (2G and 3G), with the help of essential notions of economics of standards. Different policy initiatives have been taken to stimulate the domestic innovation and to relieve the burden of foreign IPRs, culminating with the introduction of a 3G domestic standard, TD-SCDMA, to compete with the established global standards. Despite the size of the Chinese market and the strong hold of the government on the telecommunications industry, it is found that the available market data indicate that these path-breaking initiatives have not been successful from a commercial point of view. From the case study, the authors analyse the reasons for the unsatisfactory market results and outline the main lessons to be drawn. They also investigate to which extent the Chinese initiatives have contributed to other objectives related to catching-up. It is suggested that they have provided opportunities of learning to innovate and develop valuable capabilities. Building on the lessons drawn from this case, the authors discuss three standard policy and strategy options for catching-up countries: simple participation in global consortiums on agreed global standards, indigenous architectural innovation, and indigenous modular innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pierre Vialle & Junjie Song & Jian Zhang, 2012. "Competing with dominant global standards in a catching-up context. The case of mobile standards in China," Post-Print hal-01289708, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01289708
    DOI: 10.1016/j.telpol.2012.09.003
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gupta, Ruchita & Jain, Karuna, 2016. "Competition effect of a new mobile technology on an incumbent technology: An Indian case study," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 332-342.
    2. Jeon, Chunmi & Han, Seung Hun & Kim, Hyeong Joon & Kim, Sangsoo, 2022. "The effect of government 5G policies on telecommunication operators’ firm value: Evidence from China," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    3. Cantero Gamito, Marta, 2023. "The influence of China in AI governance through standardisation," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(10).
    4. Michael Murphree & Dan Breznitz, 2018. "Indigenous digital technology standards for development: The case of China," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 1(3), pages 234-252, December.
    5. Shim, Yongwoon & Shin, Dong-Hee, 2016. "Neo-techno nationalism: The case of China’s handset industry," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 197-209.
    6. Liu, Yu-li & Tian, Li & Li, Changyan & Wu, Yanfei, 2024. "Analyzing the competitiveness and strategies of Chinese mobile network operators in the 5G era," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(2).
    7. Zoo, Hanah & de Vries, Henk J. & Lee, Heejin, 2017. "Interplay of innovation and standardization: Exploring the relevance in developing countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 334-348.
    8. Xia, Jun, 2017. "China’s telecommunications evolution, institutions, and policy issues on the eve of 5G: A two-decade retrospect and prospect," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(10), pages 931-947.
    9. Grimes, Seamus & Du, Debin, 2022. "China's emerging role in the global semiconductor value chain," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2).
    10. Gao, Ping & Yu, Jiang & Lyytinen, Kalle, 2014. "Government in standardization in the catching-up context: Case of China's mobile system," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 200-209.
    11. Lee, Chuan-Kai & Yu, Limeng, 2022. "A multi-level perspective on 5G transition: The China case," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).

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