This is a comparative study of standardization processes of public mobile telecommunication systems in Europe, the US, and Japan. It focuses on government standardization policies and how different approaches to standardization have influenced domestic service expansion, standard adoption in developing countries, and international trade competition.; The objective of the study is to investigate how important the government standardization policy is in determining the outcome of the standardization process. Three major mobile telecommunication standard developers, Europe, the US, and Japan, have been chosen as the subjects of this comparative case study. Documentary research has been applied as the major data source. Interviews with industrial participants and market research data have also been employed.; The study found that government standardization policy plays an important role in influencing standardization output. While Europe, the US, and Japan all rely on standard setting committees as the world moves to the second and third generation technologies, different government policies have been chosen. The European Union (EU) pursues a single European standard policy, which leads to a single digital standard, Global System for Mobile (GSM), from six incompatible analog standards. The US government has chosen a laissez-faire policy to let the market pick the right standard(s). Two digital standards and possibly six standards for the third generation systems have been developed. Japan has conducted its single standard policy through the close coordination between the government agency and the industry participants.; Europe's single standard leads to the rapid domestic installation, popular global adoption, and increasing global market shares, although the standard may be technically inferior. The US multiple standards cause domestic confusion and installation delay and declining global adoption and market shares, while new and superior technologies may emerge. Japan's single standard policy contributes to moderate service expansion although its export is retarded by other factors. Given the diversified approaches and the vested interests, a multiple standard world will continue to exist in the future.
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