Strengthening the Compliance of the OIC Member States
to International Standards
69
6 COUNTRY CASE STUDIES
This section presents case studies of the use of international standards in various contexts. Three case
studies come from OIC member states: Bangladesh, Egypt, and Senegal. These countries were chosen to
represent different geographical and cultural groups, as well as countries of different sizes and
development levels. To contrast the experience of these countries with what is happening elsewhere in
the world, the remainder of the section presents case studies from outside the OIC, focusing on APEC,
ASEAN, and the East African Community. Before presenting the case studies themselves, the next
subsection outlines the conceptual framework and methodology that underlies them, and presents the
rationale behind the selection of the OIC case study examples.
6.1 Conceptual Framework and Methodology
In line with the TORs, the primary methodology for this report is qualitative, namely a combination of
desk reviews and case studies based on interviews with key personnel in relevant agencies. This section
outlines the approach to each part of the assignment in detail.
6.1.1 International Standards and OIC Member States: Desk Review
The first component of this project, embodied in Sections 2, 4, and 5 of the report, is a desk review
examining the institutions and structures underpinning the use of international standards in OIC
member states. The desk review makes use of the published literature, as well as websites of relevant
agencies and institutions.
To complement the literature-based desk review, the project team also reached out to standards
organizations in OIC member states to obtain more detailed information on the use of product standards
in each country, and in particular the extent of implementation of internationally harmonized standards.
Contact was made by email with national standards agencies, with follow up by email and telephone.
The response rate for this part of the project was not high, but the available data are presented in the
report as a guide to the current state of practice on the ground in OIC member states.
6.1.2 Examples of Best Practice: Desk Review and Semi-Structured Interviews
Six case studies were undertaken to identify examples of best practice that can be of use to OIC member
states. Three case studies are to come from the OIC membership itself, and three are to come from
outside, including one regional example such as APEC or ASEAN.
In line with the report’s overall approach, the case studies (Section 6) were conducted primarily using
qualitative techniques. The starting point in each case was a desk review of the available literature on