Information technology has revolutionized the way business is conducted, especially since the adoption of the Internet by the business community over the last decade. As the marketplace has become global in character, conducting business electronically has opened up fresh opportunities for reaching new markets for both finding and selling products. New business models are emerging that allow organizations to both reduce costs and achieve competitive advantage through the manipulation of information accompanying the physical business process. A companion web site contains additional material, including a comprehensive glossary. The book¿s practical approach is reinforced by various case studies.