THE

electronic business is to be implemented as an integral part of day-to-day operations, there will inevitably be a When powerful, sometime fractious, coupling between commercial reality and technology. The result of such a marriage can be either a disappointing shock to each side, or a synthesis that delivers real opportunities. Business managers understand their operational responsibilities and rightly demand highly flexible and technically competent solutions that have a similar depth of process awareness. It is therefore essential, in developing electronic business services, that the development process engages the industry needs and the available technology within an informed, innovative and collaborative undertaking. There has been much talk over recent years, fuelled by the Latham and Egan reports, which has underlined the importance of effective construction supply chains. Companies must be ready to embrace eBusiness successfully. The impact will be felt on several fronts and will require coordination across finance, sales, procurement and the full ambit of supply chain operations. Over the last 5 to 10 years, the construction industry has built many of the foundations necessary for the effective deployment of electronic business practices. This paper provides a high-level eBusiness implementation framework. I