Measuring standardization: An application to the American and French nuclear power industries

Abstract This paper discusses the lack of standardization in the U.S. nuclear industry in contrast to the French nuclear industry. We address the problem of measuring the degree of standardization in an industry whose production facilities are as complex and multi-faceted as nuclear power stations. We propose performance-oriented measures based on operating downtime and the probability of shutting down associated with reactor subsystems. We then apply these measures to show the different paths followed by the U.S. and French nuclear power industries.

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