A desktop in a graphical environment is the basic interface where applications and documents are represented by icons. It provides users with an accessible, user-friendly way to manage and navigate their files and programs.
A desktop computer is a personal computer designed for regular use at a single location on or near a desk due to its size and power requirements. Typically includes a central processing unit (CPU), monitor, keyboard, and pointing device such as a mouse.
Desktop publishing (DTP) refers to the use of personal computers to design, create, and print professional-quality typeset documents. This involves integrating text and graphics to produce print-ready documents such as books, brochures, posters, and magazines.
A detail person is a salesperson working as a manufacturer's representative who visits the manufacturer's customers to take care of details and promote goodwill.
The risk that an auditor fails to detect any material misstatements in the financial statements. Unlike control risk and inherent risk, the level of detection risk can be controlled by the auditor through varying the nature, timing, and extent of audit procedures.
Deterministic models are simulation models that offer outcomes with no allowance or consideration for variation. They are well suited to predict results when the input is predictable. Contrast with stochastic models.
Deutsche Börse AG is an international market-place organizer for trading in securities, commodities, and derivatives, based in Frankfurt, Germany. It operates the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the clearing and settlement facility Clearstream, and it is a joint owner of the electronic derivatives exchange Eurex.
A critical adjustment in the value of a country's currency, devaluation can help rectify issues of overvaluation, uncompetitive exports, or an adverse balance of trade, amid the backdrop of a fixed exchange rate system.
Developed countries, also known as advanced economies, are nations that sit at the top of the economic development hierarchy and exhibit high living standards, significant industrialization, and a robust infrastructure.
A developer is an individual or an entity engaged in transforming raw land into improved land in the context of real estate, or in creating application software in the field of computers. This role requires significant investment in terms of labor, capital, and entrepreneurial efforts.
Developing countries are nations with lower per capita income compared with wealthy countries such as the United States, Western Europe, and Japan. Investment in these countries is often channeled through emerging market funds.
Development encompasses the processes of enhancing products or creating new types of products, as well as the process of placing improvements on or making enhancements to parcels of land within the real estate industry.
Development costs refer to expenses associated with the creation and launch of new products or services. This includes the research, testing, design, and other activities necessary to bring an idea to market.
A development stage enterprise is an enterprise devoting substantially all of its efforts to establishing itself. Either the planned principal operations have not started, or there has been no significant revenue even though principal operations are underway.
In the USA, a development-stage enterprise is defined as a business that is employing all its resources to establish itself, where either the planned sales phase has not commenced or no significant revenues have yet been generated.
A developmental drilling program involves drilling for oil and gas in areas with proven reserves to depths known to have been productive in the past. This often involves drilling additional wells in or adjacent to a field with established production.
A deviation policy is an organizational procedure designed to address activities or behavior that deviate from established expectations. Actions are taken to manage such deviations effectively.
A device driver is a specialized program that allows a computer to communicate with a hardware peripheral such as a printer, keyboard, or sound card, enabling the hardware to perform its dedicated functions effectively.
A devise is a testamentary gift of real property made by a will. In modern usage, the term may also refer to gifts of personal property made through a will.
A devisee is an individual who inherits real estate through a will, typically designated in the will of the deceased.
A business growth strategy where a company utilizes existing equipment to produce new products with minimal addition of materials.
A temporary connection between computers established by dialing a telephone number through a modem. This contrasts with a dedicated channel that provides a continuous connection.
In graphical user interfaces, a dialog box is a window that collects information from the user. It typically includes various elements like list boxes, text boxes, combo boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, and spin boxes.
A diary is a daily written record of occurrences, experiences, observations, or thoughts. It can be used for various purposes, such as documenting personal reflections or keeping records for tax purposes.
Petty bargaining often involving back-and-forth negotiation over minor details. Commonly used in contexts such as markets, street vendors, or small-scale business dealings.
In management accounting, the principle that the management of an organization is likely to need different information, and thus different costs, for various activities it carries out, especially when making decisions.
Differential advantage refers to the unique benefits or characteristics of a firm's product or service that set it apart from competitors and provide a superior value to customers.
Differential analysis examines the impact on costs and revenues of specific management decisions by focusing on differential (or incremental) cash flows. It considers only those costs or revenues that will change as a result of a specific decision.
A method of pricing a product in which the same product is supplied to different customers, or different market segments, at different prices. This approach is based on the principle that to achieve maximum market penetration, the price charged should be what a particular market will bear.
Differentiated marketing refers to a strategy that entails customizing products and marketing efforts to meet the distinct needs of different segments of consumers.
A differentiation strategy is a marketing technique used by manufacturers and businesses to establish a strong identity in a specific market. This involves positioning a brand in a unique way that distinguishes it from its competitors.
Digital technology uses a limited, predetermined numbering system to measure or represent the flow of data. Digital computers, for instance, use binary digits 1 (on) and 0 (off) to represent all types of data.
A digital camera captures photographs and videos in digital form without the use of traditional film. Digital cameras store images electronically, allowing for easy transfer to computers, sharing, and online distribution.
A type of computer that represents information in discrete form, as opposed to an analog computer, which allows representations to vary along a continuum. All modern general-purpose electronic computers are digital.
A digital copier is a device that uses digital scanning techniques to copy documents, offering features such as rapid scanning, multi-page printing, digital editing, and network printing capabilities.
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) is a broadband technology that delivers high-bandwidth information to homes and small businesses over ordinary copper telephone lines, capable of carrying both data and voice signals simultaneously.
The process of converting information into a digital (computer-readable) format. The digitized data can now be processed, stored, and transmitted by computers and other digital devices.
Dilapidations refer to the state of disrepair and degradation of leasehold premises, potentially involving legal obligations for both tenants and landlords related to repairs and maintenance under various acts and common-law duties.
Diluted Earnings Per Share (EPS) is a metric that evaluates a company's earnings performance for each outstanding share, considering the worst-case scenario of dilution from convertible securities, options, and warrants.
Dilution refers to the reduction in earnings per share (EPS) and book value per share that occurs when convertible securities, such as convertible bonds and preferred shares, or warrants and stock options, are converted into common stock.
The Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility is an economic proposition that states that successive units of a good or service provide less and less satisfaction to a consumer, given that the previous units already have been consumed.
A phenomenon in economics where adding additional units of resources to a production process results in smaller increments of output due to overcrowding, inefficiency, or less effective resource allocation.
The diminishing-balance method, also known as the reducing-balance method, is a way of calculating depreciation of fixed assets whereby the annual depreciation charge is a fixed percentage of the depreciated value at the beginning of each period.
DINKs is an acronym for Dual-Income, No Kids, referring to a family unit where there are two incomes and no children. It often includes couples who collectively earn higher discretionary incomes.
A dip refers to a slight drop in securities prices after a sustained uptrend. It’s often seen as a buying opportunity for investors.
A DIP switch is a manually operated switch that can be used to change the settings of electronic devices. It consists of an array of tiny switches placed in a standard dual inline package (DIP) configuration.
Diplomacy involves conducting negotiations, establishing relationships, and managing international relations with tact and subtlety. It plays a critical role in fostering good rapport and avoiding conflicts between states, organizations, or individuals.
Direct access is a method of processing data where data can be stored and retrieved independently of the location of other data. This method is often associated with Random-Access Memory (RAM).
A Direct Charge Voucher (DCV) is a financial document used in accounting to record direct expenses incurred by an organization, facilitating efficient and accurate tracking of specific chargeable items to appropriate accounts or projects.
A prime document utilized to record purchases of parts and materials that are directly chargeable to specific jobs or processes, bypassing the organization's stores. The document specifies item descriptions, commodity codes, item values, and corresponding accounting or cost codes.
The direct charge-off method is an accounting technique used to write off specific bad debts when they are deemed uncollectible.
Labor and materials that can be identified physically in the product produced. Direct costs for an apartment building, for example, are construction materials and labor; indirect costs include architect's fees, interest during construction, insurance, and builder's overhead and profit allowance.
The direct cost of sales, also known as the prime cost, refers to the aggregate expenses directly tied to the production of a good or service, encompassing direct materials, direct labor, and direct expenses, while excluding overhead costs.
Direct costing, also known as marginal costing, is a crucial accounting technique that outlines the variable costs incurred in the production process. This method focuses on the costs directly tied to the production of goods and services.
Product costs that can be directly traced to a product or cost unit. They encompass direct materials, direct labor, and direct expenses that are attributable to the product without the need for cost apportionment.
Direct data entry involves the process of recording accounting and other transactions directly onto a computer system from individual department terminals, ensuring data integrity and real-time updates.
A financial arrangement where funds, such as dividends or salaries, are electronically transferred directly into a recipient's bank account, bypassing the need for physical checks.
Direct expenses are expenditures that are directly attributable to the production of a particular cost unit, excluding direct labor and materials.
A Direct Financing Lease is a method used by lessors in capital leases where the lessor purchases an asset specifically for rental purposes. The lease payments must be collectable, and there should be no significant uncertainties about any unreimbursable future costs.
A direct hour is the time spent working directly on a product, service, or cost unit within an organization. It is measured in direct labor hours, machine hours, or standard hours.
Direct investment refers to the purchase of an asset or security directly from the issuer, bypassing financial intermediaries.
Direct labor refers to the cost of personnel that can be directly identified in the production of a product, such as the salary of workers operating machines on a production line but not including administrative or janitorial staff.
Direct Labour refers to the labor involved in the production of goods or services, specifically attributable to specific cost units such as products, services, or machinery usages.
Direct labour cost refers to the expenditures on wages paid to operators who are directly involved in the production of a product, service, or cost unit. It's part of the direct cost of sales and can be measured through the time spent on activities and operators' pay rates.
Direct Labour Efficiency Variance is an essential component in a standard costing system that evaluates the efficiency of labour in completing a given task. It compares the actual labour hours used to the standard hours expected and calculates the variance in cost using the standard direct labour rate.
An hour spent working on a product, service, or cost unit produced by an organization by those operators whose time can be directly traced to the production. Direct labour hours are sometimes used as a basis for absorbing manufacturing overheads to the cost unit in absorption costing.
The direct labour hour rate refers to the rate of pay per hour assigned to operators engaged in direct labour or an absorption rate used in absorption costing. It is computed by dividing the total labor cost by the total direct labor hours worked.
In a standard costing system, a variance arising as part of the direct labour total cost variance. It compares the actual rate paid to direct labour for an activity with the standard rate of pay allowed for that activity for the actual hours worked. The resultant adverse or favourable variance is the amount by which the budgeted profit is affected by differences in direct labour rates of pay.
The Direct Labour Total Cost Variance is a key metric used in cost accounting to analyze the difference between the actual cost of direct labour and the standard cost allocated for the production of goods.
Direct Liability refers to the legal obligation of an individual or business due to negligent acts or omissions that result in bodily injury or property damage to another party, without any intervening circumstances.
Direct mail is a form of advertising in which physical promotional materials are sent directly to the recipients via postal mail. It is the third-largest advertising medium following newspapers and television. This method allows businesses to target specific segments of the population effectively, leveraging addresses and other niche data to tailor campaigns. Direct mail can take various forms, including postcards, catalogs, brochures, and letters.
Direct marketing involves selling products or services via promotions delivered individually to prospective customers, enabling measurable responses through various promotion media.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is an association of direct marketing organizations and their suppliers aimed at promoting the industry's reputation through self-regulation and providing members with educational tools and a forum for idea exchange.
Direct material refers to the cost of material that can be specifically identified with the production of a product, such as wood and nails in furniture manufacturing. It does not include materials used indirectly in the production process, like gasoline for power saws used to fell trees for lumber.
Direct materials are those materials that are directly incorporated into the final product or cost unit of an organization. These raw materials are integral to the manufacturing process and can be easily traced back to the finished product.
Direct materials cost is the expenditure on materials that are used directly in the production process to manufacture a product. This cost is a part of various costing methods and significantly influences the overall production cost.
Direct Materials Inventory represents raw materials in storage that await transfer to production, subsequently forming part of the work in progress.
Direct materials inventory refers to the raw materials that a company keeps in stock for future use in the production process. These materials are a critical part of cost accounting and inventory management.
In standard costing systems, the direct materials mix variance is part of the direct materials usage variance. It represents the difference between the total material used in standard proportions (standard mix) and the material used in actual proportions, valued at standard prices (standard purchase price and standard selling price).
An accounting term used in standard costing to measure the difference between the actual cost of direct materials and the standard cost, identifying favorable or adverse variances that affect budgeted profit.
Direct Materials Quantity Variance measures the efficiency of material usage by comparing the actual quantity used to the standard quantity expected for the output achieved.
A measurement that combines the direct materials price variance and the direct materials usage variance to compare actual and standard costs of direct materials consumed in actual production.
Direct Materials Usage Variance is a key metric in standard costing systems, evaluating the difference between the actual and standard quantities of materials used in production.
Direct Materials Yield Variance, also known as Direct Materials Quantity Variance, is a fundamental concept in standard costing systems. It assesses the efficiency in the use of direct materials by comparing the standard quantity allowed for production to the actual quantity used, then valuing this difference at standard prices.
The Direct Method is an accounting approach for preparing a cash-flow statement by aggregating operating cash receipts and payments to demonstrate the net cash flow from operating activities.
Direct overhead refers to the portion of overhead costs allocated to manufacturing through a standard application of burden rate, impacting inventory costs and ultimately reflected in the cost of goods sold.
Direct production refers to the process where a firm has primary responsibility for the production of a particular item, making it the main producer.
The Direct Production Cost of Sales refers to the expenses directly attributable to the manufacturing of goods sold by a company. This includes the costs of raw materials, labor, and other expenses directly involved in production.
Direct response advertising is a type of advertising where the consumer's interaction with the product is primarily through the ad itself, typically resulting in an immediate response such as a phone call or returned coupon. This form of advertising aims to eliminate intermediaries in the purchasing process.
Direct sales involve sources of magazine or other periodical subscriptions sold directly by the publisher without intermediaries, such as subscription agents. These are also known as direct-to-publisher sales.
A direct seller is a person engaged in the trade or business of selling consumer products directly to the end customer either for personal consumption or resale, often through home-based businesses or personal networks.
Taxation, the effect of which is intended to be borne by the person or organization that pays it.
Direct wages refer to the payments made to laborers who are directly involved in the production process of a good or service. These wages are part of the direct labor costs and play a crucial role in cost accounting and financial analysis.
An operator in an organization whose time is spent working on the product or cost unit to such an extent that the operator's time is traceable to the product as a direct cost.
The direct write-off method is a process where bad debts are written off as they occur instead of creating a provision for them. While this method is unacceptable for financial reporting purposes under GAAP, it is the only method allowed for tax purposes in the United States.
Direct-action advertising, also known as direct-response advertising, aims to elicit an immediate response or action from the target audience, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or visiting a website.
A direct-reduction mortgage is a type of loan that requires both interest and principal to be paid with each installment, ensuring the loan is fully amortized by the end of its term.
A Directed Verdict is a verdict rendered by a jury at the direction of the trial judge. This usually occurs when one party has not met the legal requirements to proceed with their case or defense.
A person appointed to manage the day-to-day operations of a company, holding fiduciary and statutory duties, and operating within the bounds of corporate governance.
The directorate, also known as directorship, is a group of people elected by shareholders to establish company policies and oversee the management of the organization.
