ABSTRACT
ThischapteriscontributedbyKeithB.Termaat,CrossPlatformClosuresManager,andformerlyStrategicStandardizationManagerwiththeFordMotorCompany.ThepaperwasfirstgivenattheAmericanNationalStandardsInstitute (ANSI)CompanyMemberCouncilExecutiveCommittee(CMCEC)presentation aspartoftheWorldStandardsWeekConference,Arlington,VA,October1996 andsubsequentlypublishedintheJournaloftheSocietyofAutomotiveEngineers (SAE).ANSI,throughtheCMCECandtheCenterforStrategicStandardization Management(CSSM)promotestheimpactofstandardsandstandardizationon technologyandinnovation.Afterall,innovationisrecognizedgloballyasapowerfulcontributortoimprovingstandardsofliving.Butwhatissometimesthought ofastheflipsideofinnovation,standardization(theprocess)andstandards(the performance),arealsointheascendancyasrevitalizedpolicytools.
