ISO Fo c u s The Magazine of the International Organization for Standardization Volume 3, No. 2, February 2006, ISSN 1729-8709 Inn vation and standardization • IT service management • Personal financial planning Contents 1 Comment Prof. Masami Tanaka, ISO President How standards nurture innovation in the cold light of dawn 2 World Scene Highlights of events from around the world 3 ISO Scene Highlights of news and developments from ISO members 4 Guest View Terry Hill, Chair of Arup ISO Focus is published 11 times a year (single issue : July-August). 8 It is available in English. Main Focus Annual subscription 158 Swiss Francs Individual copies 16 Swiss Francs Innovation and standardization Publisher © ISO Central Secretariat of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 1, rue de Varembé CH-1211 Genève 20 Switzerland Telephone + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 733 34 30 E-mail [email protected] Web www.iso.org Manager : Anke Varcin Editor : Elizabeth Gasiorowski-Denis • Strategic standardization – Can standardization help businesses ? Assistant Editor : Antoinette Price • Nanotechnologies – Driving the next industrial revolution ? Artwork : Pascal Krieger and Pierre Granier • STEP – Supporting innovation in the global market ISO Update : Dominique Chevaux • ebXML – When innovation really matters Subscription enquiries : Sonia Rosas Friot • RFID – A technology whose time has come ! 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All rights reserved. • MPEG – Constantly creating new ways for digital audio and video • The paradox of standardization and innovation The contents of ISO Focus are copyright st and may not, whether in whole or in • Fine ceramics – A new materials industry for the 21 century part, be reproduced, stored in a retrieval • ISO/IEC policy on reference to patented items system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without 48 Developments and Initiatives written permission of the Editor. • Information security management systems The articles in ISO Focus express the views • ISO prevents misuse of its name on Internet of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of ISO or of any of its members. 51 New this month ISSN 1729-8709 • IT service management • Personal financial planning • Graphical Printed in Switzerland symbols for equipment and diagrams Cover photo : ISO. 53 Coming up ISO Focus February 2006 Comment How standards nurture innovation in the cold light of dawn any a flash of inspiration, many standards help great ideas to survive the Global challenges need global a hot, new idea, when exam- contact with practical realities and support solutions and ISO, through its national Mined in the cold light of dawn their growth to maturity as “manufactur- members and organizations in liaison, has is found to face serious practical barriers able and marketable” products. a unique framework for bringing together to their implementation. Brilliant ideas for ISO’s track record provides the international expertise that can devel- innovative products and technologies can numerous examples. To take one from op these solutions, and for disseminating be so far ahead of their time that even a the IT field, the MPEG series of stand- them in an orderly and effective manner. commonly understood terminology for ards for the digital coding of audio and ISO standards also ensure that innovative communicating them may be lacking. visual signals has encouraged the growth solutions can be transferred to develop- However, for brain-storming of business sectors offering thousands ing countries so that the benefits are also new ideas and bringing them to market of new products and services in such available on a global basis. in record time, few business areas can areas as digital television and photo- Innovative technologies, inter- rival information technology. Fittingly graphy, mobile telephones, music via connectivity and global availability raise therefore, it was Watts Humphreys, a key the Web and personal audio. issues related to intellectual property thinker on the management of software rights. By allowing patent technolo- development, who said: “Innovation is “ Global challenges need gies to be embedded and signalled in its the process of turning ideas into manu- global solutions” standards, under fair and non-discrimi- facturable and marketable form.” natory conditions, ISO is ensuring the A similar point was made by Standardization ensures agree- continuing interplay between innova- Theodore Leavitt, the Harvard Business ment about essential characteristics tion and standardization, and that great School professor and author who as early such as terminology, safety, perform- ideas are brought to market. as 1973 made the connection between ance, compatibility and interoperabil- ISO standards ensure that innova- standardization and the then unfamiliar ity. This creates the conditions for new tion survives the reality test. For innova- term of “globalization”, when he said: markets to take root and grow, while tion, standardization transforms the cold “Creativity is thinking up new things. allowing individual organizations free light of dawn into a bright new day. Innovation is doing new things.” rein to their creativity in developing dif- Today, the need for creativity and ferentiated product offerings. innovation is being recognized not only If standardization really stifled in business and academic circles, but innovation in business and technology – by the world’s political and econom- as some mistakenly believe – ISO would ic leaders, as indicated by the choice not in recent years have welcomed new of “The Creative Imperative” as the industries such as nanotechnologies, theme for this year’s World Econom- hydrogen technologies, and health and ic Forum, which took place last month transport informatics. These sectors have at Davos, Switzerland. The organizers turned to ISO for the international stand- stated: “It is imperative that we learn ards they need to facilitate the dissemi- how to unleash our creative potential to nation of innovative technologies and to tackle the world’s problems.” help structure markets for them. We in ISO have something to con- Today’s products are increasingly tribute. Our speciality is developing stand- the culmination of global supply chains ards that provide the link between “cre- that need to be aligned. Early standard- ative potential” (great ideas) and “tack- ization of basic, essential characteris- Prof. Masami Tanaka ling problems” (practical implementa- tics of products allows this alignment ISO President tion). Standardization begins with a cre- to take place efficiently and effectively. ative vision: to transform valued criteria In today’s interconnected world, Inter- such as quality, ecology, safety, economy, national Standards can provide interna- reliability, compatibility, interoperabili- tionally harmonized solutions to global ty, efficiency and effectiveness into real challenges that are too large for any one attributes of products and services. ISO company to solve on its own. ISO Focus February 2006 1 World Scene Global harmonization with particular focus on con- World water forum of medical devices formity assessment procedures th and information sharing. The 4 World Water Forum will The Globalization Harmonization © ISO be held in Mexico City on 16-22 ISO made a presentation, which Task Force (GHTF) met in London bodies in regulations, and a March 2006, under the theme of emphasized the fact that the use at the end of 2005, where its greater effort to link develop- “ Local Actions for a Global of International Standards by steering committee endorsed a ment assistance for programmes Challenge ” and will focus on developing countries would number of important documents for developing countries. analysis of experiences and which can now go forward for ensure that they maximized their knowledge sharing. benefits from the WTO TBT Nearly one third of the more public comment, including The 4th World Water Forum is a guidance on the principles of agreement. than 100 representatives from governments, standards and con- step along the way to achieving conformity assessment for medical Participants from 15 Caribbean formity assessment bodies, inter- the water-related Millennium devices, emphasizing GHTF’s countries attended the workshop, national organizations and Development Goals. support for the use of quality which also updated officials on non-govermental organizations management systems. current issues in the TBT com- By focusing on implementation attending were from developing mittee, in order to promote a and building on policy recom- countries. more effective participation in mendations that will come out its work and fulfill its goal of For more information, see : of the commission of sustainable providing a forum for exchanging www.oecd.org development process in 2005, views on TBT issues. the main objective of the Forum is to contribute to strengthen and The WTO and the Caribbean Harmonizing leather increase on-site actions. Community (CARICOM) Secretar- testing procedures © ISO The Forum’s iat organized the workshop as part The International Union of An ISO presentation highlighted preparatory of the WTO’s technical assistance Leather Technologists