Meta-standardization as a remedy for tensions and complexities: The case of medical service lists in Vietnam

Standards are vital components in building large‐scale and complex information systems, but not all standards are well functioning. Therefore, standardization, the process that produces standards, plays a crucial role in creating good standards. This paper contributes to standardization literature by presenting a case study involving negotiation and development of a standardized medical service list through mapping separated existing standards. In our conceptualization, meta‐standardization is not a project but should be perceived as an open‐ended learning process where no individual or institutions are omnipotent to foresee all the dynamics and offer a universal working solution at the first attempt. This process was part of a larger attempt to build a national electronic insurance claim system in Vietnam. We propose the concept of meta‐standardization to understand the 3 aspects of that process: convergence/differentiation, learning, and multilevel. Practical implications include the following strategies for resolving tensions and complexities: building upon what exists, organizing a learning process, and automating the standardization.