Since the mid-1980s, object technology has gained widespread acceptance within the software industry. Within a wider context, however, it has made little impact on the core applications which support businesses in carrying out their tasks. This volume contains a collection of papers establishing the need for business objects, with particular reference to work undertaken by the Object Management Group (OMG). The emphasis is on defining an agenda for establishing business object standards and architectures, for developing software technology to support business objects applications and managing object-oriented development projects.