Introduction The role of government, at a high conceptual level, is to assure the country's stability while promoting progress, and standards certainly encourage stability. Standards efforts are also intended to promote progress. However, when we consider the actual imposition of standards we find these goals conflicting. Stability is achieved by adhering to accepted, i.e., old, standards. Progress may require moving to new standards, and requires new investments.
Stability avoids costs due to change.
Doc 1 Loyola College in Maryland - Use, Japan et al.