Factors affecting the adoption of quality standards in the semiconductor industry: The importance of stakeholder pressures

Standards play a significant role in the semiconductor industry. However, few scholars have focused on gaining a better understanding of standardization in this industry. This study examines a specific aspect of standardization: the adoption of quality standards by companies in The Netherlands’ semiconductor industry. Multiple quality standards are available and the uncertainty surrounding that choice is high. There is a need to decrease this uncertainty. This paper attempts to accomplish that by focusing on a Dutch multinational semiconductor company that has adopted quality standards that improve sustainability. This is a typical example of a company affected by uncertainty regarding the quality standards that should be adopted. Based on a literature review and interviews with experts from the company, we develop a list of factors that influence the company's adoption of two quality standards and assign weights to these factors by applying the best-worst method. Our results show that pressure from customers, pressure from big players, management support, and formalization are the most important factors explaining quality standard adoption in The Netherlands’ semiconductor industry. Applying these factors and weights can reduce the uncertainty for companies regarding which standards should be adopted, which is the practical implication of our study.