Book excerpt: Electronic business is a major force shaping the digital world. Yet, despite of years of research and standardization efforts, many problems persist that prevent e-business from achieving its full potential. Problems arise from different data vocabularies, classification schemas, document names, structures, exchange formats and their varying roles in business processes. Non-standardized business terminology, lack of common acceptable and understandable processes (grammar), and lack of common dialog rules (protocols) create barriers to improving electronic business processes. Handbook of Research on E-Business Standards and Protocols: Documents, Data and Advanced Web Technologies contains an overview of new achievements in the field of e-business standards and protocols, offers in-depth analysis of and research on the development and deployment of cutting-edge applications, and provides insight into future trends. This book unites new research that promotes harmony and agreement in business processes and attempts to choreograph business protocols and orchestrate semantic alignment between their vocabularies and grammar. Additionally, this Handbook of Research discusses new approaches to improving standards and protocols, which include the use of intelligent agents and Semantic Web technology.