Resource management for controlling allocation of a resource to competing computer processes is achieved through the use of a joining function. A resource manager is responsive to identification of a thread for a first process requesting allocation of the resource, when the resource is already allocated to a thread for a second process, to establish a joining function to the thread for the second process. The joining function is operable to notify the resource manager on termination of the thread for the second process. The resource manager can therefore be operable in response to termination of the thread for the second process to allocate the resource to the first process. The first and second processes can be call handling processes for telecommunications apparatus where the resource manager provides allocation of a telephony resource, such as a modem or network interface, to the competing call handling applications. A telephony interface and the applications can be implemented in the Java language.