Kodak Essays - Digital Photography, Kodak, Picture CD, Film Stock

Kodak INTRODUCTION Team Commander was tasked with providing a case analysis on Case 8, Kodak: Taking Pictures-Further. In doing so, Team Commander has provided a summary of the important case facts, current history and trends, strategic position, strategic plan, implementation plan, and the anticipated outcome. CASE SUMMARY In the fall of 1998 Kodak entered the digital camera market. Their goal was to change the clarity, usability, and life of Kodak moments- to make them bigger, better, and more enduring. Kodak set out to achieve this goal by supplying the digital camera market with its Digital Photograph Kit. The kit provided the home user with everything they need to take and share digital pictures. The kit included a Kodak DC20 Digital Camera, easy-to-use software packages, and paper for making quality prints. Also, as part of the processing the consumer received a CD, called Photo CD, which contained pictures that could be loaded onto a computer. Kodak hoped its package would be simple and attractive to consumers. However, sales were disappointing. Kodak found consumers reluctant to move away from their familiar and functional traditional cameras. In addition, this form of picture taking required the user to be wired (connected to a computer). Kodak had not anticipated the magnitude of these problems. In an effort to bridge the gap between traditional and digital cameras. Kodak teamed with Intel. The result was digitization, the ability to convert traditional film to digital format through the standard photographic processing method. By checking Picture CD on the envelope containing the regular roll of film to be developed, consumers can receive their prints and a CD containing digital images. The CD also contains all the software necessary for viewing and altering the images. The processing cost is $8.95 to $10.95. In order to fine-tune the CD marketing program, Kodak and Intel conducted hundreds of one-on-one interviews with individual consumers and conducted test markets in Salt Lake City and Indianapolis. As a result of this effort, Kodak and Intel developed advertising and promotional campaigns for Picture CD. Kodaks advertisements showed the benefits of digital imaging and emphasized that people did not have to change their picture-taking habits. While, Intel followed with advertisements that primarily focused on computer users and Pentium II processors. Kodak intended to use collaborative advertising to communicate the simplicity of digital imaging that resulted from using Kodak Picture CD and to establish a strong connection between the product and high performance PCs. In moving to digitization, Kodak has extended well beyond its initial core competencies in cameras and film. Few consumers connected the Kodak brand with computers and computer technology. Thus, Kodak linked up with computer hardware and software firms, such as Intel, Microsoft, Adobe Systems, and Hewlett-Packard. This creates a whole new product category in the consumers mind, and combining the Kodak brand with those of its computer technology partners lends digital credibility and forges a quality image. Managing its brand name is important to Kodak. However, its chief competitor, Fuji, is making this difficult. In the mid-1990s, Fuji began aggressively pursuing the U.S. market, primarily through price-cutting. Fujis price war cut into Kodaks margins at the same time that Kodak was investing heavily in digital imaging and digitization. The result was a lot of red ink for Kodak. Kodak responded by cutting more than 7,600 jobs. This boosted the 1998 second quarter operating profit margin from 14.3 percent to 18.5 percent, which far exceeded Wall Streets expectations. That is the good news. The bad news is that the red ink kept flowing in the digital imaging division. In this division alone Kodak suffered a 5 percent sales decline in the quarter and a $64 million loss, following a $400 million loss in 1997. To withstand the continuing onslaught by Fuji, Kodak intends to cut another 12,300 jobs and reduce cost by another $1 Billion. Kodak understands that cost reductions will carry the firm only so far. However, Kodak stays committed to growing its digital imaging business and feels increased revenues will be the result of this commitment. To make it there, Kodak will have to sell consumers on digital imaging and digitization. In emphasizing digital, Kodak has been criticized for not paying enough attention to such basic problems in its core camera and film

Helium Facts (Atomic Number 2 or He)

Helium Facts (Atomic Number 2 or He) Helium is atomic number 2 on the periodic table, with the element symbol He. It is a colorless, flavorless gas, best known for its use in filling floating balloons. Here is a collection of facts about this lightweight, interesting element: Helium Element Facts Helium Atomic Number: 2 Helium Symbol: He Helium Atomic Weight: 4.002602(2) Helium Discovery: Janssen, 1868, some sources say Sir William Ramsey, Nils Langet, P.T. Cleve 1895 Helium Electron Configuration: 1s2 Word Origin: Greek: helios, sun. Helium was first detected as a new spectral line during a solar eclipse, so it is named for the Greek Titan of the Sun. Isotopes: 9 isotopes of helium are known. Only two isotopes are stable: helium-3 and helium-4. While the isotopic abundance of helium varies depending on geographical location and source, 4He accounts for nearly all of the natural helium. Properties: Helium is a very light, inert, colorless gas. Helium has the lowest melting point of any element. It is the only liquid that cannot be solidified by lowering the temperature. It remains liquid down to absolute zero at ordinary pressures, but can be solidified by increasing the pressure. The specific heat of helium gas is unusually high. The density of helium vapor at the normal boiling point is also very high, with the vapor expanding greatly when heated to room temperature. Although helium normally has a valence of zero, it has a weak tendency to combine with certain other elements. Uses: Helium is widely used in cryogenic research because its boiling point is near absolute zero. It is used in the study of superconductivity, as an inert gas shield for arc welding, as a protective gas in growing silicon and germanium crystals and producing titanium and zirconium, for pressuring liquid fuel rockets, for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as a cooling medium for nuclear reactors, and as a gas for supersonic wind tunnels. A mixture of helium and oxygen is used as an artificial atmosphere for divers and others working under pressure. Helium is used for filling balloons and blimps. Sources: Except for hydrogen, helium is the most abundant element in the universe. It is an important component in the proton-proton reaction and the carbon cycle, which account for the energy of the sun and stars. Helium is extracted from natural gas. In fact, all natural gas contains at least trace quantities of helium. The fusion of hydrogen into helium is the sources of a hydrogen bombs energy. Helium is a disintegration product of radioactive substances, so it is found in ores of uranium, radium, and other elements. Most of Earths helium dates back to the planets formation, although a small amount falls to Earth within cosmic dust and some is produced via beta decay of tritium. Health Effects: Helium serves no biological function. Trace amounts of the element are found in human blood. While helium is considered to be non-toxic, it displaces oxygen so inhaling it can lead to hypoxia or asphyxiation. Fatalities from inhaling helium are rare. Liquid helium is a cryogenic liquid, so risks include frostbite from exposure and explosion from expansion if the liquid is stored in a sealed container. The mixture of helium and oxygen (heliox) can cause high-pressure nervous syndrome, however the addition of nitrogen can remedy the issue. Compounds: Because a helium atom has a valence of zero, it has extremely low chemical reactivity. However, unstable compounds called excimers can be formed when electricity is applied to the gas. HeH is stable in its ground state, but it is the strongest known Bronsted acid, capable of protonating any species it encounters. Van der Waals compounds form with cryogenic helium gas, such as LiHe. Element Classification: Noble Gas or Inert Gas Usual Phase: gas Density (g/cc): 0.1786 g/L (0 Â °C, 101.325 kPa) Liquid Density (g/cc): 0.125 g/mL (at its boiling point) Melting Point (Â °K): 0.95 Boiling Point (Â °K): 4.216 Critical Point: 5.19 K, 0.227 MPa Atomic Volume (cc/mol): 31.8 Ionic Radius: 93 Specific Heat (20Â °C J/g mol): 5.188 Heat of Fusion: 0.0138 kJ/mol Evaporation Heat (kJ/mol): 0.08 First Ionizing Energy (kJ/mol): 2361.3 Lattice Structure: Hexagonal Lattice Constant (Ã…): 3.570 Lattice C/A Ratio: 1.633 Crystal Structure: close-packed hexagonal Magnetic Ordering: diamagnetic CAS registry number: 7440-59-7 Quiz: Ready to test your helium facts knowledge? Take the Helium Facts Quiz. References Meija, J.; et al. (2016). Atomic weights of the elements 2013 (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry. 88 (3): 265–91. doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0305Shuen-Chen Hwang, Robert D. Lein, Daniel A. Morgan (2005). Noble Gases. Kirk Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. Wiley. pp. 343–383. doi:10.1002/0471238961.0701190508230114.a01.Weast, Robert (1984). CRC, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, Florida: Chemical Rubber Company Publishing. pp. E110. ISBN 0-8493-0464-4. Return to the Periodic Table

Little T.K. and Michele Confidential Informants Assignment

Little T.K. and Michele Confidential Informants - Assignment Example Michele on the other hand is a professional dealer as well, however she looks like a sophisticated white woman and she suits the part because no one would suspect her while she tries to siphon information. Both these selected informants have past experience in being street smart and are fully aware of the danger associated with the drug world. Also, they have had bad experiences and know how to get out of tough and sticky situations. They seem to be flexible with respect to their past and form no attachment with the people they work with. These are excellent qualities to possess as a confidential informant. They would not be suspected with ease by those that are a part of the operation and are a better option than Raul and Shasha because those two have a history of being violent in the past. They might just leash out onto the investigation and give the game away and thus Little T.K and Michele seem to be more responsible and calm with respect to handling such a tough drug operation. Both of them seem the kind that would help the police rather than make their lives more difficult with respect to gaining access to information. Since they have worked in the Hood, they are fully aware of the kind of people that they will be dealing with as well as how to lead those concerned with the operation to trust them with ease. They have dealt with drugs and have also dealt with removing themselves out of situations of trouble without having to pay for consequences. They will thus be an asset to the authorities by acting as confidential informants. The department should have a strict policy concerning these informants – they need to carefully choose people who have information regarding the investigation at hand or at least have had something to do with a similar crime in their past. They should not be people who fear their lives because of the operation that they are getting themselves into and should be strong and smart about it. The department should first sign a c ontract with them regarding the confidentiality and they should not hire someone who might give the entire game away. Also, the informants must not turn up with information that cannot be verified because the operations that need to be carried out are on a very high level dealing with high crimes and potential criminals, so it must be carried out smoothly, without anyone understanding the set up. The department needs to thus sign a contract swearing in their secrecy and also turning them in to the authorities in case they spill confidential information regarding the investigation into the wrong hands or engage in some illegal activities during the course of the operation under the name of the federal police. If the informant is paid then the police should be sure to get a receipt for the transaction for obvious reasons. The work of the informant as well as all of his details should be properly documented with the police. All the paper work should be kept in a proper place for any cr oss checking. A background check needs to be done to understand the past history of the informant and all the crimes he has ever committed, the felons that he has been charged for, as well as his nature in order to understand his behavior during the course of the operation. A written approval regarding the informant’s selection must be taken from a supervisor as he must be prodded for all the information he will provide; negotiations regarding payment as well as any other incentives such as lowering a previous charge on him for