Standards and Standardization Practice

Technical standards have always played a vital role in the development of industrial society. Historically, standards can be traced to origins in the invention of currency and in early human activities such as warfare, trade and printing—in societies as diverse as ancient China and Rome. For example, Venetian war galleys were mass produced: the size, fittings, ropes and even oars were all standardized and interchangeable (Cargill, 1997, p. 18). Throughout history, standardization evolved as a social practice and it tends to reflect the particular political and economic cultures involved.