In Greek mythology, the Sirens were sea deities who lived on three small islands somewhere in the Mediterranean. According to the myth, the Sirens had beautiful voices, and they sang as ships passed near their islands. The sailors would become so entranced by the Sirens' songs that they sailed toward the islands, only to perish as their ships crashed on the islands' rocky shores. The Sirens are usually described as half-woman, half-bird creatures, and some of the stories say they their bodies were as alluring as their voices.

Like many ancient myths, the tales of the Sirens have become part of our language and culture. Today, we use the term "siren song" to mean an appeal that is hard to resist but that, if heeded, will lead to a bad result. And like the mariners of ancient myth, modern business leaders can often encounter siren songs—opportunities or developments that appear attractive and benign on the surface, but usually produce negative consequences.

One category of modern siren songs goes by the name "standards." Standards come in a variety of forms. One kind is a formal specification that defines or describes the required attributes of a product or product family. This type of standard may be developed by a private industry group or a governmental body. The criteria used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grade beef as "prime" or "choice" is a good example of this kind of standard.