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What is the nature of European Standardization Organizations (ESOs) and of harmonized European standards? Are ESOs public or private bodies? Are harmonized standards established by such organizations an entrustment of public powers? Standards are the prescriptions of the best way of doing things, are typically set by private parties and remain of strictly voluntary application. Also European harmonized standards, although recognized by EU legislation, seem to have a private nature, as they are non-binding and emanate from the ESOs, which are private bodies. However, such standards are a necessary implementation measure which is strictly governed by the essential requirements defined by a directive, and are initiated, managed and monitored by the Commission. Moreover, subject to prior publication of their reference in theOfficial Journal, they have certain legal effects, such as giving rise to the presumption of conformity with the essential requirements established by the directive. As a consequence of the ‘public’ nature of harmonized European standardization deriving from the peculiar relationship between the ESOs and the Commission, and from the legal status and effects of harmonized standards, such standardization activities ought to follow certain procedures and to respect certain principles of administrative activity.

Busto Zapico, M., & Cirelli, E. (2018). Indagine sul fenomeno della standardizzazione nelle produzioni ceramiche provinciali in epoca Tardo Romana. La forma Hayes 85. Archeologia e Calcolatori, 29, 161-184. doi:https://doi.org/10.19282/ac.29.2018.16 L’obiettivo di questo contributo è proporre una metodologia utile per verificare il livello di standardizzazione e le unità di misura utilizzate durante i processi produttivi della coppa Hayes 85. Questa forma ceramica venne definita e studiata da Hayes (1972, 130-133) e inserita nel gruppo della African Red Slip Ware tra le ceramiche fini da mensa degli atelier che realizzavano la Terra Sigillata Africana C(5). Si tratta di una produzione caratteristica della Tunisia centrale databile tra la metà del V secolo e il primo quarto del VI, periodo in cui questo territorio si trovava sotto il controllo dei Vandali. La scoperta, presso l’area portuale di Classe (Ravenna, Italia) di numerosi frammenti ed esemplari completi di questa forma ceramica (Cirelli 2007), è molto importante per conoscere meglio la sua distribuzione in area adriatica e ha consentito di realizzare un tipo d’indagine statistica generalmente poco utilizzata. [The aim of this paper is to determine the degree of standardization within certain Late Roman pottery productions. This research tried to outline a methodology to determine the standardisation degree of these samples and to unravel the measurement systems used in the production process. The morphometric characterization of each fragment allowed us to create different groups with a cluster analysis. The principal component analysis providedinformation that led us to a deeper understanding of the obtained groups. The coefficient of variation allowed us to determine the standardisation degree of the productions. Once all these data are known, we can approach to the possible measurement units that ruled the analysed production systems. We selected a form well represented in the ceramic contexts identified in the excavations of the Late Antique port-canal of Classe, the Hayes 85 small bowl. This vessel was considered a rare form in Hayes' monumental book. New discoveries of the last ten years revealed how much we still have to understand about the characteristics of Late Roman productions, trade and distribution. With this in mind, we used a statistical method to analyse the main changes in the profile of this type and its variants.]

The instructions given to interviewers in research institutes are often aimed at standardizing their behaviour, assuming that this can lead to comparable answers. However, in more recent methodological debates, the recognition of the interactional nature of the interview and the impossibility of standardizing the behaviour of interviewers has led scientists to call for a more flexible approach to how interview are conducted. This article presents the results of a study investigating the procedures put in place by the interviewers conducting telephone interviews and their compliance with the constraints of standardization. The results show strong deviations of the interviewers from the demands of researchers, only in some cases justified by the information obtained in the course of the interaction.