From participation to power: The impact of technology standards development on business production networks

Presented by Cher Li, Aston Business School

The development and evolution of technology standards critically shape the global economy, offering foundational technologies such as 5G, Wi-Fi and Web standards. But how does a firm’s engagement in setting these standards influence its centrality within global production networks or value chains?

Leveraging longitudinal data from over 3,500 US-listed firms, we construct measures of centrality based on business-to-business supply chain linkages, offering a novel approach to mapping market power in global production.

Our findings reveal that business participation in setting technology standards significantly boosts their centrality, predominantly by expanding customer networks rather than supplier networks. Our research sheds light on how technology leadership and strategic firm behaviour influence global markets, offering insights into how technological standardisation can boost a firm’s global prominence.

Cher Li is a Professor of Economics at Aston Business School in Birmingham, UK. She has an extensive background in higher education, with previous appointments at Nottingham University Business School, Imperial College Business School, the University of Strathclyde and the University of Glasgow. She serves as a Research Associate at ESCoE, a Research Fellow at the Nottingham Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy and is a member of the Innovation Growth Lab research network. Cher’s research is focused on innovation economics, intellectual property, technology and management standards and productivity. She is an active contributor to national policy, serving on the UK government’s Expert Peer Review Group, the Council of Experts for the UK Innovation and Research Caucus and as a chair in the UKRI Interdisciplinary Assessment College.