Standards

Even though the attention of the mass media has long since turned to other technologies, the significance of blockchain technology is crystallizing more and more clearly. This article briefly describes the technology and uses an application example to show how the use of blockchain technology in the telecommunications industry could be linked to the benefit of all. The fact that our Internet is becoming slower and slower in its existing structure due to the increasing number of accesses via mobile devices can be observed in streaming services, among other things. Progressive digitalisation is producing digital data on an unprecedented scale. The challenge is to secure this data in stable networks at high transmission speeds. Widely diversified networks, which are connected to each other in a decentralized manner, promise a remedy. These structures are very familiar with blockchain technology and it can be assumed whether this technology has the potential to fundamentally change ...

In the last few years, the private sector and international organizations have propagated numerous standards and norms, which prescribe some strict measures to protect supply chains. Security in the supply chain can be significantly increased with only a few principles. Against the backdrop of the many already existing initiatives, we discuss whether and how these could contribute to the supply chain security of companies. We aim at developing practitioner recommendations, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises without own security routines. These recommendations may serve as a guide and help to establish a management system for supply chain security.

The paper highlights the importance of standards and standardisation especially for multinational enterprises. At the same time the threat of a not adequately reflected over-standardisation is recognised which is tied to risks like transaction costs and “idle power”. In the paper it is discussed to what extend it is possible to evaluate standards and standardisation in multinational enter- prises in terms of effort and benefits. This evaluation is anchored within a concept of standard management at a strategic level.