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Top1 Introduction
There are a number of different challenges related to provision of standards in the software sector, that can impact on the extent to which it is possible to faithfully implement the specification of a standard in software systems (Blind and Böhm, 2019; Gamalielsson and Lundell, 2013; Lundell et al., 2019; UK, 2015). A number of challenges that are related to implementation of specifications of standards have been identified in the literature, including challenges related to: interoperability (Bird, 1998; Ghosh, 2005; Krechmer, 2005), conformance to the specification of the standard (Egyedi, 2007; Lundell et al., 2019), and long term availability of software systems which implement specific standards and associated digital artefacts (Behlendorf, 2009; Lundell et al., 2011). Implementations of standards in Open Source Software (OSS) is one means to address these challenges, and such implementations need to be available over very long life-cycles. For this reason it is important to assess the longevity of organisational governance and development provided by organisations in standardisation- and OSS projects (Butler et al., 2020; Crowston and Howison, 2006). Organisational engagement with standardisation projects is an important aspect to consider in this regard, and there is previous research on this topic including studies with a focus on motives for organisational participation in standardisation (Blind, 2006; Blind and Mangelsdorf, 2016; Mangelsdorf, 2009; Riillo, 2013), and how participation in standardisation affects company performance (Wakke et al., 2016).
Previous research on standards and their implementations in software projects include studies the addressing of different aspects related to interoperability and compliance (e.g. Butler et al., 2020; Egyedi, 2007; Egyedi and Dahanayake, 2003; Friedrich, 2011), and aspects that relate to licensing conditions for standards and associated implementations in OSS (Friedrich, 2011; Ghosh, 2005; Lundell et al., 2019; Simcoe, 2006). In particular, the relationship between standards and their implementations in software is a contemporary concern that has been addressed in a number of different studies (Blind and Böhm, 2019; Egyedi and van Wendel de Joode, 2004; Lundell et al., 2019). However, there is a lack of case studies, especially with a focus on standards and their software implementations in the multimedia domain, which is of interest because of their wide deployment and associated legal challenges. Therefore, there is need for further research with a focus on specific implementations of standards and the engagement with standards and their associated implementations, and particularly related to implementations in OSS in the multimedia field. In fact, the openness of standards and associated implementations in OSS has been elaborated almost two decades ago (Krechmer, 2002) and the relationship between standards and their implementation in OSS continues to be an issue for ongoing discussion (Brock, 2013; Blind and Böhm, 2019; EU, 2012; FRAND, 2012; Friedrich, 2011, 2013; Krechmer, 2007; Lundell et al., 2019). Further, there is a practical relevance of research on standards and their software implementations in the multimedia field since a large proportion of ICT users consume multimedia content through broadcasting and streaming services, and are depending on and affected by those standards and implementations.