Benefits of Standards Development from a Macro Perspective

摘要

Homeland security. Nanotechnology. Sustainability. Denoting enormous concepts, each word implies relevance and also creates some confusion. While the need for standards in such areas is obvious, the methods employed to achieve the desired results can vary considerably. In an organization as far-reaching as ASTM International, piecemeal work could take place among a diverse collection of technical committees, each with distinct (but possibly overlapping) scopes and divergent interests, representing competing industry sectors.