Abstract: A system for brokering business service requests in a computer network is disclosed. The system is operative to receive a request for information from a requester, transmit the request to a provider, and return a response to the requester. The broker typically comprises the following components. A requester-side processing stage operative to communicate with the requester; a provider-side processing stage operative to communicate with the provider; and a broking stage operative to exchange data between the requester-side processing stage and the provider-side processing stage. In operation of the business service broker, upon receipt of a request for a requester, the broking stage obtains data required to respond to the request by communicating with a provider through the provider-side processing stage. The brokering stage formulates a response and returns it to the requester through the requester-side processing stage. The mechanism by which the response is obtained is abstracted from the requester.