Research On Technical Standardization From The Perspective Of Science And Technology Studies

Technical standard is a historical phenomenon. It came into being with theemergence of human civilization and has been developing with the ages. With the rise of Western Didacticism and Industrial Revolution, local, natural and simplified technical standard had become global, complex and opaque. The epoch of technical standardization arrived. The production of technical standards in the epoch of technical standardization tended to develop in Black Box. Due to the opacity of the Black Box, its inner structure, its production process and its real face and especially its hegemonic character were all hidden. Thereby current technical standard development has raised two research questions: one is to study technical standard in action and explore its detailed formation and expansion process. The other is to critically cognize technical standard and unveil its real essence.However, the existing research approaches to technical standardization are incapable of accomplishing the mentioned two tasks. The approach of technical engineering is a functionalism perspective; furthermore its logic is technical determinism which directly pushed technical engineering into a dead end. Economic approach ignores the process of technical standardization due to its economic rationality, theory hypothesis which is a closed system, functionalism perspective and transcendental theory hypothesis. Besides, economists are born without critical spirit, which determines their inability to undertake the second task -to critically cognize technical standardization and unveil its real essence.Considering the above facts, the paper tries to explore the problem from the perspective of science and technology studies. Recognizing the limitation of technical standardization researches under the same perspective, the paper adopts both social and cultural approaches, imports Bourdieu's Field Theory and creatively set up a new analytical framework based on "Praxis Theory of Technology Standard". This framework is based on science and technology studies. It views technical standardization an engaging game rather than on a "neutral, spectator and non-involving" standpoint. It tries to enter the "power field" of the technical standardization as game participants and observe the whole game process and unveil the true essence of technical standardization. Within the perspective of science and technology studies, the paper adopts a new analytical framework based on "Praxis Theory of Technology Standard". It analyzes some real cases like RFID technical standardization, technical standardization for mammary cancer risk testing and etc.In Chapter Five, which focuses on local production, the first principle of technical standardization is put forward: technical standardization is a local technical scheme. It means that technical standardization is not universal and objective. It is no more than a local technical proposal. Technical standardization cannot live without local production; furthermore even after delocalization, its local character was still there and was impossible to erase.Chapter Six discusses the relationship between standardization and rhetoric. The second principle of technical standardization is put forward: technical standardization is a process of rhetoric. It means that technical standardization needs rhetoric and the effects of the rhetoric directly decide to which extent the technical standardization can reach. Technology in this context is actually a way of rhetoric rather than a decisive objective element.Chapter Seven presents Actor Network construction. In this chapter, the third principle of technical standardization is brought forward: technical standardization is a process of Actor Network construction. The competition among various technical standards is actually the competition among various Actor Networks. Those who can intwine a stronger and more flexible network are surely to have more competitive power. How can the network be constructed is dependent on its interest translation system and alliance policy.The eighth chapter describes the implementation of technical standardization. The fourth principle is proposed: technical standardization is an expansion process from the center to the periphery. It means technical standardization was usually set up by western countries and was expanded to the less developed countries. The expansion could cause local resistance, while the power of the two sides is unbalanced. The real purpose of the struggle is to scramble for discourse power and the rights to decide the price in certain industry. The four principles put forward in the paper signifies that the paper has finished the research which covers the whole production process of technical standardizationThe present paper analyzes the whole life circle of technical standardization and further explores the relationship between technical standardization and objectivity. It points out that objectivity can be best achieved from technical standards. This sense of objectivity does not mean "absolutely Objectivity" (in Descartes's term) but means "Formal Objectivity" as Sismondo called. The formal objectivity has its own visual angle and standpoint, rather than being neutral. It connects with power elements and its process of formation expands from the center to the periphery. In the process of achieving formal objectivity, technical standards complete the shaping of its own objectivity as well. Thus, technical standard does not take the transcendent position in Epistemology. If it had objectivity, technical standard could be categorized into "Formal Objectivity". Therefore, technical standard only has rationality and effectiveness, but it does not equal to the truth mastery of "Absolutely Objectivity" expected in advance.China's rise needs not only advanced science and technology, but also the support of powerful systems of technical standardization. Considering the existing unequal international technical standardization, China is in an adverse place in the complex and fierce competition for technical standardization. Many technical standards developed ourselves are in the danger of dying away. Therefore the paper at the last part analyzes these problems and proposed some strategies for Chinese technical standardization development. This part realizes the research's leap from theory to practice.