Standards and Standardization Practices: Does Organization Size Matter?

Abstract

Increments in economic efficiency resulting from the application of standards generate economic benefits for both producers and consumers. As a result, it is of the utmost importance for organizations to be aware of the benefits that standards bring to their operations. This paper deals with specific categories of standardization effects that organizations can achieve in the processes of formal standardization. The goal was to rank organizations by size, based on the effects that they can gain by getting involved in formal standardization. The data gathered from a survey of experts from the Institute for Standardization of Serbia form the basis of our multicriteria analysis of standardization indicators for micro, small, medium-sized, and large organizations. The final ranking for determining the achievement of standardization effects in different-sized organizations was performed using the PROMETHEE-GAIA method. Our analysis showed that micro organizations were the best performers since they are more flexible than the other size categories of organizations. In contrast, the other types of organizations have lower significant preferences concerning all the criteria. Finally, one of the conclusions is that all observed organizations have the potential to achieve the effects of standardization, although they may differ.

Keywords:

• Standardization
• Organization Size
• Economic Effects
• Technical Effects
• Innovation Effects
• Social Effects
• Multi-Criteria Analysis
• PROMETHEE-GAIA

EMJ Focus Areas:

• Continuous Improvement
• Leadership
• Organizational & Performance Assessment

Acknowledgements

We would also like to thank the Institute for Standardization of Serbia for their helpful feedback and suggestions and their help in the first data collection phase.

Additional information

Funding

Part of this research is financially supported through the project of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia e TR34023.

Notes on contributors

Ana Rakić

Ana Rakić is an Assistant Professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Quality Management and Standardization Department. Her PhD dissertation was an analysis of standardization effects and its modeling. Her current research interests include quality management, quality infrastructure, standardization, metrology, accreditation, certification, engineering communications and logistics.

Isidora Milošević

Isidora Milošević is an Associate Professor at the University of Belgrade, Technical Faculty in Bor, Department of Engineering Management. She successfully defended her doctoral thesis in 2012. Her current research interests include strategic management, management of new technology and innovation, strategic management of new technology. She is the author and coauthor of many papers in international and national journals and conferences.

Jovan Filipović

Jovan Filipović is a Quality Management Professor and Head of the Quality Management and Standardization Department at Belgrade University Faculty of Organizational Sciences. He earned his PhD and MSME from Purdue University (USA) School of Mechanical Engineering and BSME from Belgrade University School of Mechanical Engineering. He earned his second PhD from the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) Faculty of Public Administration.