Due diligence defined

Due Diligence is the process of evaluating a prospective business decision by getting information about the financial, legal, and other material (important) state of the other party.

Due diligence is used most often when buying a business, as the buyer spends time going through the financial situation of the business, legal obligations, customer records, and other documents. The prospective buyer wants to validate his/her opinion of the business to see if it is truly a good decision.

If you don't do your "due diligence" in a business situation, you may end up buying something that isn't as you thought it was, or you may end up in a business relationship that will cause you trouble (Murray, 2010).

Businesses told to improve due diligence to avoid scamming woes

While measures to fight white-collar crime in South Africa have become more stringent, businesses also needed to perform thorough due diligence on those parties they interact with, speakers at a seminar on white-collar crime and corruption, held in Johannesburg, said on Tuesday. Read more...