| In this dissertation, I model the organizational process and environmental influences employed to develop three generations of de jure wireless (cellular) digital telecommunications standards. Through an empirical investigation of this de jure technology standards development process, and the strategic technology alliances involved in this process, this research study uncovers findings which illustrate (1) a conceptual technology standards development model employed by the standards development organization (SDO) charged with their creation, and (2) initial implications of what managerial motivations may underpin the creation of strategic technology alliances. The main findings of this dissertation are as follows.; First, there is a further refinement of an earlier seminal model of wireless telecommunications standard-setting. Specifically, this finding recognizes the importance of a bifurcation of actual standard development activity into two phases within the conceptual technology standards development model constructed by this researcher: the first, the Preliminary Standard Development Phase, and the second, the Formal Standard Development Phase .; Second, the Regulatory Environment in which standards development takes place directly affects (to varying degrees) industry activities from the early stages of R&D (i.e., the Innovation Path Phase ) up to the balloting of a technology standard (i.e., the Formal Standard Development Phase).; Third, the importance of other telecommunications industry organizations in the development of a wireless technology standard cannot be underestimated. This study provides empirical evidence supporting the importance of such industry organizations in the technology standard development process---in spite of the fact that such organizations have no formal standing in the SDO's standard-setting process.; Fourth, an analytic framework is developed that is useful in identifying the theoretical underpinnings of inter-firm collaborations. While this analytic framework was not employed in evaluating the results of the pilot study undertaken, it nevertheless can be utilized in the future study of a strategic technology alliance.; Fifth, areas of future research which relate to the standards development process and cooperative strategy in the telecommunications industry, and by extension other network-based, high technology industries, are identified. A subsequent set of research hypotheses are developed which can be empirically tested through a mix of research methodologies. |
