Blind (Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Germany) presents a variety of empirical analyses which reveal the driving forces and the economic impacts of standardization in both the manufacturing and service sectors. He begins the book by presenting a detailed outline of the various types of standards and their possible economic impacts, then discusses the influence of standards within the regulatory system and provides empirical validations of the theoretical arguments related to standards. He also examines the link between technical change and standardization and looks at the impact of intellectual property rights within standardization. The book will be of interest to industrial economists, R&D managers, and policymakers involved with innovation and trade policy. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)