Resolving disputes by producing an agreement acceptable to all parties. This function may be perfomed by the parties themselves, or by a neutral intermediary, such as the UK's Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS). Conciliation may work by persuading some parties that their demands are impossible, or that the fears of other parties are reasonable. It often works by subdividing the points in dispute, so that compromise can be reached by each side giving way on issues which do not matter much to them in return for gains on points they consider vital. Conciliation may also work by producing verbal formulae that each party accepts on a different interpretation: this does not resolve the real disputes, and stores up trouble for later.

• development area
• development economics
• development, greenfield
• dichotomy, classical
• DIDMCA
• difference
• difference equation
• differential
• differential equation
• differentiation, product
• diffusion of innovations
• dilemma, prisoners'
• diminishing marginal product
• diminishing marginal rate of substitution
• diminishing marginal utility
• diminishing marginal utility of money
• diminishing marginal utility of wealth
• diminishing returns, law of
• direct investment abroad
• direct investment, foreign
• direct labour
• director
• directorates, interlocking
• direct tax
• dirigisme