We study a problem of R\&D competition using a real options approach.
We extend the analysis of Weeds [26]
in which the project is of a fixed standard
to the case where the firms can choose the target of the research from two
alternative technologies of different standards.
We show that the competition affects not only the firms' investment time,
but also their choice of the standard of the technology.
Two typical cases, namely the de facto standard case and
the innovative case, are examined in full detail.
In particular, in the de facto standard case, the firms could develop
a lower-standard technology that would never appear in a noncompetitive
situation.
This provides a good account of a real problem resulting from too bitter R\&D
competition.