New frontiers in quality infrastructure research

Quality infrastructure refers to the technical institutions supporting global trade while ensuring consumers can purchase safe, healthy, high-quality products and services.

In recent years, scientific interest in quality infrastructure (QI) has grown continuously. The Google Scholar results from 1997 to 2024 confirm this trend.

Figure 1: Publications on Quality Infrastructure

Source: Own research based on Google Scholar data

In 1997, we found only 88 QI publications, but by 2024, that number had risen to 3,290. That means the number of publications has increased 38-fold. The curve also shows a progressive increase, which indicates a growing interest from year to year.

Only in the past two years have researchers and practitioners started collaborating on research into QI. This blog reported about the first International Research Workshop on QI at the PTB in Berlin on 27 April 2023. In the following year, on 9 and 10 May 2024, the Centre for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) and Folks Center for International Business at the University of South Carolina hosted another workshop entitled ‘Rethinking Institutions of Development: Transformation of Quality Infrastructure‘ at the United Nations in Geneva. The goal was to advance the QI understanding beyond emphasizing QI’s general importance for issues such as trade, investment, and development. The broader focus attempts to recast core issues of technological upgrading and global value chains for emerging market firms.

Further research seminars and meetings are planned. A worldwide network of QI researchers at universities, research institutions, international cooperation organizations and QI institutions is gradually yet steadily emerging.

Research activities have been ongoing in the standardization field for some time, with particular organisational support. For example, the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) supports research by young scholars on current topics such as Standards and cybersecurity.

QI organizations invest in establishing in-house socio-economic research departments in both industrialized and developing countries.

In the field of accreditation, the Italian accreditation body Accredia is a pioneer of studies on economic and social impacts. The Research and Statistics division of Accredia was established in 2018 within the Institutional and External Relations office to enhance data analysis and communicate key insights to stakeholders. Led by economist Alessandro Nisi, the division focuses on two core activities: improving Accredia’s accreditation and certification database and conducting research in collaboration with national and international partners. Key studies explore the impact of accredited conformity assessment services on areas such as artificial intelligence, occupational safety and health, and global trade. Current research focuses on the economic effects of accredited certifications on enterprises and the role of accreditation in reducing market information asymmetries. Looking ahead, Accredia is launching a study on sustainable finance, investigating how accredited conformity assessment can facilitate access to credit and ensure that investments align with environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.

In Peru, INACAL’s Economic Studies Office was established in June 2014 alongside the creation of Peru’s National Quality System to support economic diversification and highlight the role of quality in economic development. The office, led by the economist Walter Ramirez Eslava, consists of three economists and two research assistants and provides analytical support to INACAL’s executive leadership and technical divisions. Its work includes biannual bulletins, national surveys, and impact studies on QI services, with occasional support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). Key research topics include the economic benefits of technical standards, QI’s role in circular economy practices, and the impact of quality management on labour productivity. The office’s current research focuses on the effects of standardizing innovative products on market access, analyzing 20 Peruvian companies selected for technical standard development under a national innovation program.

In Colombia ONAC’s Economic and Social Studies Coordination was formally established in December 2023 to support decision-making and knowledge management in QI and accreditation. A key motivation was to develop a methodology for measuring the use of quality infrastructure in Colombia’s reindustrialization process, a task assigned by the country’s economic policy document CONPES 4129 (2023). The department is led by the economist Juan Sebastián Parada and has three economists with expertise in data science and economic analysis. It operates under ONAC’s relations office while responding to research priorities set by the executive management and technical divisions. Its studies provide valuable insights for conformity assessment bodies, industry, and policymakers, highlighting the competitive advantages of accreditation. Key research topics include accredited conformity assessment in non-mining exports, the impact of ISO 14001 certification on sustainability and climate change, and accreditation services for sustainable tourism management systems.

The Colombian National Standards Body, ICONTEC, has been conducting studies on the impact of standards and certifications since 2005, incorporating socio-economic dimensions across various departments. Its research is coordinated through a committee led by the Planning, Business Intelligence and Innovation Department, which also participates in a research group with Colombia’s Ministry of Science. The Department is led by Martha Lucia Castro and includes professionals with innovation, quality, and data science expertise. Research activities include technology watch, innovation planning, project management, and monitoring outcomes. Notable studies include collaborations with ISO and independent research on standardization’s benefits and certifications’ impact. Current research priorities explore measuring the value and impact of quality-related practices, leveraging emerging technologies in conformity assessment, and developing continuous audit models and trust-based service innovations.

These encouraging developments show the growing interest in better understanding the functioning and contribution of QI. This research is essential to justifying the existence and investments in QI institutions and convincing political decision-makers and taxpayers of the value of QI.

Further readings:

ICONTEC 2016:

Standards support business competitiveness in Colombia (Spanish)

ICONTEC 2018:

Analysis of the impacts of implementing technical standards and certifications of management and product systems. Case studies in the agri-food sector (Spanish)

INACAL 2024:

Contribution of quality infrastructure in public procurement: The case of Peruvian technical standards (Spanish)

INACAL 2023:

Status of the incorporation of technical standards and accredited conformity assessment into national technical regulations (Spanish)

INACAL 2023:

An evaluation study of the impact of quality infrastructure on national productive development, using diff-in-diff evaluation through the random forest. (Spanish)

INACAL 2023: