Diploma Thesis from the year 2006 in the subject Computer Science - Commercial Information Technology, grade: 1,3, University of Bamberg, language: English, abstract: In today's companies changes happen very fast. On the one hand more and more new technologies are arising, on the other hand business processes have to change because of mergers and acquisitions, new regularities, changing customer requirements and so forth. As business processes are supported by information technology, information technology has to cope with both types of changes. From a business perspective on-demand adaptation of information technology to business is required. Service-oriented architecture (SOA) is currently discussed as an opportunity to better adapt to those changes.