The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the first full-length study of the largest nongovernmental, global regulatory network whose scope and influence rivals that of the UN system.

Introduction 1. Voluntary Consensus Standard Setting: Why it Matters and How it Arose 2. How ISO Works 3. Infrastructure for a Global Market 4. From Quality Management to Social Regulation 5. Standards Wars and the Future of ISO 6. Conclusion

Craig N. Murphy is M. Margaret Ball Professor of International Relations at Wellesley College. He is past president of the International Studies Association, past chair of the Academic Council on the UN System and a founding editor of the international public policy journal, Global Governance.

JoAnne Yates is Sloan Distinguished Professor of Management and Deputy Dean at MIT's Sloan School of Management. Her research encompasses both historical and contemporary organizations with a focus on changing communication and information technologies and the related work practices.