World-Wide-Web technology in support of negotiation and communication

With the advent of the mass use of the Internet involving the classic use o f e-mail, file transfer and now the more recent use of www applications, su ch as home pages, chat, Internet phone, audio and video, and web broadcast systems, business transactions over the net are dramatically increasing. An important, yet relatively undeveloped component for electronic commerce is the negotiation of contracts and the resolution of disputes. We discuss We b-based technology and practice in supporting business negotiations and com munication. The focus of the paper is on the present and the future promise s of such technology.