In practice, who provides information technology standards that organizations apply for interoperability and quality?

Introduction / Context:
Standards ensure systems interoperate, remain secure, and follow consistent quality expectations. In information technology, guidance comes from formal standard bodies, vendor specifications, and community/industry groups.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Organizations adopt de jure (formal) and de facto (market-driven) standards.
• Standards affect protocols, data formats, safety, and quality.
• The question asks who provides these standards.

Concept / Approach:
De jure standards: ISO/IEC, IEEE, IETF publish consensus documents. De facto standards: vendors and user groups define widely adopted practices (APIs, file formats, implementation profiles).

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Common stacks (TCP/IP, Wi-Fi, file formats) show influence from all three sources.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Each single-source answer is incomplete; all contribute.

Common Pitfalls:
Equating ‘‘standard’’ only with government or ISO; industry adoption is equally influential.

Final Answer:
All of the above