Dr. Hammer is a management consultant, author, lecturer, former MIT computer science professor, and president of Hammer and Company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is the originator of the business concept called �reengineering,� which in the 1990s encouraged many companies to restructure themselves.

Dr. Eliyahu Goldratt is an Israeli physicist, business consultant and chairman of the Goldratt Institute in New Haven, Connecticut. He is a recognized leader in developing new management concepts and systems.

Duration is a measure of interest-rate RISK (bond price volatility) that includes both the coupon rate and the time to maturity of the bond. Most BONDS, both government and corporate debt instruments, are issued with a fixed interest rate (the coupon rate) for a set period of time (maturity). Duration incorporates both these features.

Dun & Bradstreet (D&B;) reports provide information about the creditworthiness of businesses around the world. D&B; reports are the most widely used financial reports used by businesses in the United States in determining credit, marketing, purchasing, and receivables management decisions.

Dumping, in its most frequently used meaning, involves the sale of goods or SERVICES in a foreign market at prices that are below those in the seller�s home country. Popular reports often refer to a specific country as the offending party, but in fact dumping is generally practiced by private businesses.

Under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, everyone is guaranteed legal due process (fair treatment) under certain circumstances. There are two major subcomponents: procedural due process and substantive due process.

Due diligence refers to any in-depth investigation, review, or effort to comply with requirements, expectations, or requests. The phrase originated in U.S. securities law. The laws require companies and the accountants, lawyers, and bankers who assist in the process issuing securities to provide accurate information about the securities.

Downsizing is the reduction of staffing levels necessitated by business reasons such as low sales or low profits. The number of employees required to build products is a variable expense directly related to the number of units being built. So if fewer people are on the company�s payroll, labor expense is reduced, resulting in stabilized or increased profits.

Dow Jones averages are the most widely quoted INDICATORS of the U.S. STOCK MARKET. There are three Dow Jones averages: industrials, transportation, and utilities. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is the oldest and bestknown indicator.

See FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING.