• Journal of Korea Technology Innovation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.483-510
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• 2016

Disruptive technology is increasingly gaining attention by industries, standards development organizations (SDOs), academia, government and regulatory bodies due to its massive scope of impact on the incumbents and consumers. Companies that take a lead in new technologies intend to dominate the global market by making their technologies into an international standard. However, they tend to seek ways of by-passing the slow procedures of formal SDOs that often hinder prompt action in response to rapid changes in technology and market situations. In the area of disruptive technologies, there is a need to harmonize standardization efforts in formal SDOs for various companies and stakeholders to reap the benefits of technological development and diffusion of innovation. This paper examines the reasons why standardization is more active using market-based mechanisms than through formal SDOs for disruptive technologies. We conducted a Delphi study to investigate standardization strategies in the area of disruptive technologies. This research found that experts understood the core element of disruptive technologies as creating new markets and changing the competition basis in existing industries through the transformation of consumers' behavior. Based on these core characteristics, experts agreed that flexibility and speed are the most important factors for standardization. Results also show that the perception that standardization activities are not directly connected to companies' profit-making is the key barrier to links between research and companies' participation in standardization. This research provides implications for formal SDOs and policymakers.