[schwabacher]

This is interesting, and it makes sense to me that markets would work this way, but I am not sure I can think of any real examples. Something like Bar Associations comes close, but AFAIK they are legally mandated? Do you have any better recent or historical examples in mind?

[hammock]

How about the standard of putting the name of the product on the outside of the packaging?

How about the gold standard?

Also- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_standard#Examples_of_open_...

http://media.mises.org/mp3/interviews/murphy1.mp3

[bioh42_2]

The best example I could find is about non-profits: http://nvs.sagepub.com/content/39/6/1057.abstract

But I think the same principles would apply to for-profits. The only other examples I have are anecdotal.

[Florin_Andrei]

non-profits ==> competition is not exactly red in tooth and claw ==> not a real "market"

> The only other examples I have are anecdotal.

Agreed.

[bioh42_2]

non-profits ==> competition is not exactly red in tooth and claw

Are you serious? Competition for donations between non-profits in my experience is often even more extreme then between for-profits. Do you have any evidence for softer competition among non-profits?

Besides some non-profits are really phenomenally well functioning for-profits, which happen to have chosen a non-profit tax status.

For example, in the US the non-profit AAA will quickly drop any pick-up truck company known not up to its standards. Mind you, all that's needed if for the truck to show up roughly on time and be reasonably courteous. Still that is quite something when you're in a bad spot and need those kind of services.

And the AAA is popular enough that being on their shit list will cause sever financial pain to any pick-up truck services provider.

But to join the AAA you have to pay a regular fee and they have all kinds of tie-ins with piles and piles of 3rd party service and goods providers.

I don't begrudge them their non-profit tax status, but they are a damn well run and huge business.