Conference Schedule

Master of Cermenoies | Keynote Speakers | Panalists

Please note that the agenda is subject to change.

Conference Topics

Policies for Collaborative Advantage

In our interconnected world, domestic policy decisions now have international implications. As countries evolve from agricultural to industrial to intellectual property economies, the policies and the infrastructures that support them must also adapt to meet changing needs. This first half-day of the conference features government policy makers from both developing and developed countries. Members and officials from international organizations will present their views and work together to create openness and collaborative advantage through the exchange of ideas. Emphasis will be placed on how these ideas can ultimately build economic strength and societal benefit for all.

Each of the following sessions will each feature a series of panel presentations followed by an interactive discussion between the panel and the audience. Audience participation in these discussions is strongly encouraged.

Current Infrastructure: Reality vs. Myth

Current world trade, economic, legal, and even social infrastructures combine to impact standardization. This panel examines how those infrastructures can and do influence standardization and trade and its ability to deliver collaborative advantage. It then discusses the realties and myths of how international trade and standardization organizations operate in light of these influential infrastructures and the effect it has on different participants such as businesses, industries, and Members including both developing and developed ones. Topics for discussion may include:

• How can the World Trade Organization (WTO) contribute to the integrity of multi lateral trade and the welfare of global digital society?
• How can international communities meet the challenges of development in digital fields?
• How are international Standards Setting Organizations (SSOs) improving their IP policies to address current IP issues?
• What potential cooperation opportunities exist among international organizations such as those for trade and standardization?
• How can international organizations, aside from the WTO, improve their infrastructures?
• How can SSOs facilitate the participation of developing countries?
• How does openness need to be redefined to accommodate new domestic and global market entrants and changing national trade strategies?
• What guidelines should national procurement policies adhere to and how can they be supported through standardization activities?

Standardization for Collaborative Advantage

Standardization has traditionally been used as a tool for collaboration and cooperation. Once used mainly by engineers to construct detailed technical specifications or by governments to guarantee consumer safety, standardization is now used strategically to create collaborative advantage and favorable market conditions. This panel will focus on how standardization can and is being used to gain collaborative advantage for businesses, industries, nations, and geopolitical regions. Topics for discussion may include:

• How do small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), multinational corporations, and state-owned enterprises/businesses that are favored by governments use standardization to gain collaborative advantage?
• How can and do industries work together to gain collaborative advantage with other industries when technologies converge?
• How can industries join together to accomplish goals such as creating larger markets?
• How do domestic or regional governments gain collaborative advantage for their domestic industries through standardization?
• What evidence or examples exist that illustrate successful creation of collaborative advantage through standardization?
• Has economic strength and societal benefit increased as a result of current collaborative efforts? If so, how has it happened?

The Way Forward

This panel builds on discussions in the previous two panels. Panelists will examine changes needed for standardization and those infrastructures that impact it (e.g., legal, economic, societal, and trade) to meet the needs of our economic world climate, political realities, and business practices that exist today. Since not all topics can be addressed, discussions will focus on the most timely and crucial elements. Most importantly, the panel looks at how openness can be guaranteed so that collaborative advantage, especially through standardization, is maximized.

• How should international intellectual property rights (IPR) be treated to facilitate market growth while still encouraging innovation?
• How should competition law and issues such as ex ante discussions be altered to facilitate collaborative advantage and openness?
• Should, and if so how should, WTO’s definition of what constitutes an international standard be updated?
• How should WTO Policies on standardization be updated to create a more level playing field for new market entrants and developing countries? 
• How can the international standardization system be improved to strengthen collaborative advantage? For example, should voting policies be changed? Is it beneficial to allow voting blocks or participant lobbying?
• How can the IPR policies of Standards Setting Organizations be harmonized with national and regional legislation activities, such as competition and IP law, to promote international competition, efficiency, and social welfare?
• What is the role of government in leading these necessary changes?
• How can (and should) countries establish and work through collective regional efforts (e.g., European Union, BRIC countries) to improve standardization and other influential infrastructures?
• What role should businesses and SSOs play in these changes?

Standardization Leadership

This panel brings together the findings of the conference to discuss potential leaders for changing standardization. Panelists will examine whether it would be more effective for the standardization industry or their members to lead efforts for change. They will share their ideas on whether changes should be left to market dynamics or should be government-initiated. Panelists may also discuss whether international organizations such as the WTO should play a role in strengthening standardization. Identifying changes that need to occur within the standardization infrastructure and other influential infrastructures is crucial to enabling openness, and thus collaborative advantage. This conference moves beyond simply identifying elements for change to discussing who should make those changes. The discussion is based on the philosophy that standardization, conducted strategically, especially in regards to collaboration and in an open, improved infrastructure, results in building economic strength and benefiting society.

Topics that may be discussed include:

• What is the role of government in leading these necessary changes?
• What role should international communities play in changing standardization?
• How can industries and individual businesses help to implement identified areas of change?
• How can standards setting organizations lead changes that will strengthen their industry?
• How can (and should) SSO members establish and work through collective regional efforts to improve standardization and other influential infrastructures?
• How can the participants in domestic and international standardization guarantee or at least promote openness?
• Who should lead identified changes that will improve collaborative advantage for all?