First Amendment Issues: Prayer In Public School Essay

The Problem and Its Settings Free Essays

Section I: The Problem and its Settings â€Å"You do anything sufficiently long to get away from the propensity for living until the getaway turns into the propensity. † ~ David Ryan Introduction Internet and web based game dependence, here and there alluded to as the internet fixation or online compulsion, can show itself from multiple points of view in today’s adolescents. On the off chance that your girl/child/sister/sibling simply spent a whole lovely end of the week refreshing his/her page on Facebook, playing web based games on Y8, playing Vice City, doing combating on WarCraft prior an excursion with the family to an event congregation or shopping center, he/she might be giving indications of habit. We will compose a custom article test on The Problem and Its Settings or on the other hand any comparable point just for you Request Now The Internet is a tempting spot, particularly for today’s connected in adolescents who are undeniably bound to add spray painting to their friend’s Facebook divider than they are to really jump on their bike and ride over to that equivalent friend’s house. You need to let it out would be a test to interface vis-à-vis with somebody you’ve never met face to face and who lives in an alternate time zone. In that lies the issue. The Internet is ideal for youngsters. Today’s informal communication locales like Facebook and Twitter let them speak to themselves as whomever, or anything, they desire. Everything is altered by them, picked explicitly to introduce the face they need the world to see. What's more, in the event that they choose to change that face, at that point they simply erase a few pictures, include some new companions, and presto! †new individual! Specialists state that upwards of 10 percent of Internet clients might be viewed as dependent, albeit some psychological well-being experts scoff at utilizing that term from a clinical perspective. They contend that an action must be addictive when it causes a particular sort of substance response in the mind, and that’s difficult to decide. In any case, when you’re contending with a teenager about the measure of time she’s spending on the web and she just can’t complete her paper since her Instant Messenger continues cautioning her something new and energizing is going on with her closest companion, at that point call it what you like, it’s an issue †for you, the kid, and the whole family. Numerous guardians feel torn, however, about constraining their children’s time on the PC. On the off chance that a high schooler is battling socially, a few guardians accept any human collaboration, even through the PC, is desirable over none. Furthermore, with youngsters that are daring people or have flawed preference for companions, a few guardians feel they can more readily screen and protect their kids by letting them remain at home, downloading music records and making tests for their Web pages. What's more, numerous guardians simply need to stay away from the fits, the brush off, or the contentions that flare at whatever point the issue of PC opportunity the executives comes up. Foundation of the Study Internet is a worldwide arrangement of interconnected PC organizes that utilization the standard Internet convention suite (TCP/IP) to serve billions of clients around the world. It is a system of systems that comprises of a huge number of private, open, scholarly, business, and government systems, of neighborhood to worldwide degree, that are connected by a wide cluster of electronic, remote and optical systems administration innovations. The Internet conveys a huge scope of data assets and administrations, for example, the between connected hypertext reports of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the foundation to help email. Internet game, a game played over some structure ofâ computer organize. This quite often implies the Internet or equal innovation, yet games have constantly utilized whatever innovation was current:â modemsâ before the Internet, and hard wiredterminalsâ before modems. The development of web based gaming has mirrored the general extension of PC systems from little neighborhood systems to the Internet and the development of Internet get to itself. Web based games can go from basic content based games to games joining complex designs and virtual universes populated by numerous players all the while. Numerous web based games have associatedâ online networks, making web based games a type of social movement past single player games. The rising prevalence of Flash and Java led to an Internet insurgency where sites could use spilling video, sound, and a totally different arrangement of client intuitiveness. When Microsoft started packaging Flash as a pre-introduced segment of IE, the Internet started to move from an information/data range to likewise offer on-request amusement. This transformation prepared for locales to offer games to web surfers. Some online multiplayer games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI and Lineage II charge a month to month expense to buy in to their administrations, while games such as Guild Warsâ offer an option no month to month charge conspire. Numerous different destinations depended on promoting incomes from on location supports, while others, like RuneScape, or Tibia let individuals play for nothing while at the same time leaving the players the choice of paying, opening new substance for the individuals. Fixation, can likewise be seen as a proceeded with inclusion with a substance or movement notwithstanding the negative results related with it. Joy, delight or alleviation from genuine or saw diseases would have initially been looked for; in any case, over some undefined time frame inclusion with the substance or movement is expected to feel typical. Some brain science experts and numerous laypeople now mean ‘addiction’ to remember unusual mental reliance for such things as betting, computer games, food, sex, sex entertainment, PCs, web, work, work out, adrenaline, revering, sitting in front of the TV or particular kinds of non-obscene recordings, profound fixation, self-injury and shopping. The American Society of Addiction Medicineâ begins their meaning of fixation by depicting it as â€Å"a essential, constant infection of cerebrum reward, inspiration, memory and related hardware. Proclamation of the Problem The most effective method to refer to The Problem and Its Settings, Papers

Data-driven versus Data-informed Whats Best for You

Data-driven versus Data-informed â€" Whats Best for You Data is a powerful tool for companies, as it provides information for businesses to work with. However, many companies do not make the best out of the available data, because they dont use it the right way.Data collection and analysis have changed rapidly over the past decades. Technology is advancing quickly and supercomputers can now take in huge amounts of data and draw conclusions within seconds. Yet, experts argue that truly efficient use of data still requires humans to think instead of simply relying on machines. © Shutterstock | everything possibleThis guide will look at the difference between being data-driven and being data-informed. Should you fully rely on data or better use it as one factor that guides your decisions? We’ll explore the advantages and the limitations of these two approaches and discuss which one is better to support your organization’s decision-making process.WHY DATA MATTERS?Before we take a more detailed look at data and the best practices for using it, we should first understand why we are using data at all. Does collecting huge amounts of data matter and in which way does it matter?Raw data provides businesses with information, which can be processed in different manners. The main goal is to use these information to make decisions. Therefore, data collection is part of your daily business â€" every company gathers and uses some sort of data.Analysis of raw data can provide many insights into your business. While a single piece of information in isolation might n ot contain much information, entire sets of data can provide ground for decision-making. If your business operates in the retail sector, for example, daily sales data can provide trends and pattern. You can find out which are the busiest sales days or which items sell the most.This information can be used to improve your business operations. You are able to hire more staff for the busier days and therefore boost sales further. You can optimize your sales pipeline by finding out which products sell the best. Hence, data can make your business run smoother and more efficiently, and save costs.In 2010, researchers at the University of Texas found that businesses, which improved their data quality and usability generated larger financial returns. According to the study, enhancing data usability by only 10% can increase annual sales per employee by more than 14%.The rise of big data â€" why is it important?Big data’ has been one of the buzzwords over the last years. The term refers to data sets, which are extremely large and complex. Due to their size and complexity, these data sets can only be analyzed with computerized systems.Big data has revolutionized the importance of data, as businesses can now use more data and draw more conclusions. Big data is especially useful in analyzing human behavior and interactions.To understand more about the importance of big data, watch the following TedTalk video with Kenneth Cukier: DIFFERENT WAYS TO USE DATA â€" DATA-DRIVEN VS. DATA-INFORMEDCompanies use data in different ways. While some corporations are data-driven, others are data-informed. Read on, and understand the difference.Data-driven â€" data leads the decision-making processIn its essence, data-driven means that data leads the decision-making process. The data thus plays an crucial role in the company, as decision-makers rely mostly on the data.Organizations, which are data-driven implement the use of data throughout the entire organization. Data analysis and use is not only the job of IT or data specialists, but all departments of the organization use and analyze data.Jim Giles, the author of the Economist Intelligent Unit Report called ‘Fostering a Data-Driven Culture’, said in an interview that data-driven businesses are “placing data at the heart of almost all important decisions”. “They [the companies] are tolerant of questioning â€" even dissent â€" about business decisions being made, as long as the questioning is based on data and their analysis,” Giles continued.The importance of data becomes increasingly evident when companies grow in size. Data-driven companies, such as the British supermarket chain Tesco or its American counterpart Walmart, achieved business successes with this method.Data-informed â€" putting the data in contextOn the contrary, data-informed organizations don’t rely on data in all of their decision-making. The companies use a more agile and responsive way of treating data. Therefore, data sets are seen in their specific context. Data is used to create a hypothesis, which remains to be proven.Today’s start-ups and organizations often view themselves as being data-informed instead of data-driven. However, the definitions are not set in stone and sometimes its not that clear to tell if an organization as a whole is data-driven or data-informed.THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF BEING DATA-DRIVENThe benefits â€" less human bias, less time-consumingStudies have highlighted that a data-driven culture can improve the financial performance of an organization. The Economist Intelligence Unit’s survey in 2012 showed that top performing companies often use a data-driven approach.Furthermore, since data-driven cultures allow data to lead the way, the decision-making is less influenced by the human element. The data is used as it is, without much further analysis. Data are considered as concrete facts. That removes the human bias that may come with data analysis.MIT Center for Digital Busines s studied data-driven decision management and found organizations using this approach had 4% higher productivity rates, together with 6% higher profits.Moreover, as companies spend less time analyzing their data, there is more time to deal with other operational aspects of running a business. Since gathering data and allowing it to come to its own conclusions won’t require much effort on your part, the focus can be directed to the day-to-day operations.The risks â€" huge amounts of data needed, gathered data can be wrong or biasedA data-driven approach requires the organization to collect vast amounts of data to ensure decisions are as effective and accurate as possible. Otherwise, outliers will bias the decision-making process. This can be an obstacle for many companies, especially for younger organizations, that might not have the capabilities or the resources to collect huge amounts of data.On the other hand, the more data you collect the harder it is to process it. The organiz ation might end up in a situation where it has a wealth of data, but is unable to use it to generate answers.Finally, relying on data can increase the chances of making the wrong decisions. Data itself can contain a bias. For example, the way how data is gathered can lead to a bias, which could distort the ultimate decision.THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF BEING DATA-INFORMEDThe data-informed approach to data has increased in significance in the past few years, with many experts claiming it to be the best way to handle large data sets.The benefits â€" company puts data in its context to consider the whole pictureData-informed organizations understand the limitations of data. Since the collected data is only a snapshot of the reality, decision-making shouldn’t rely solely on this data. Therefore, instead of simple focusing on the data, you have to test and question it in order to draw conclusions.You could compare the approach to other automated structures. For example, flying an airplane in today’s world is highly automated. But the importance of the pilot is still evident in many situations. The pilot can override the decisions and take control of the process.Hence, a data-informed approach adds more assessment and revision to the use of data. This opens up more ways to use it. Since you are constantly measuring and analyzing different data sets, you are enhancing the collection and the use of data continuously.Finally, data-informed decision-making understands that data is not always the   perfect information package it seems to be. As explained above, data can contain a huge bias, depending on how it was gathered. For example, the way how an interviewer asks questions in a questionnaire can have a direct impact on the results. Therefore, the data-informed approach doesnt treat data as the ultimate truth.The risk â€" outcome of data analysis depends on the analystWhilst there are many benefits to the data-informed approach, it isn’t a risk-free way to make de cisions. Perhaps the main reason some experts argue against a data-informed approach is the added human element. A data-informed approach essentially argues against fully trusting the data. However, adding human interpretation can also add a bias, moving away from the actual evidence.For example, if an analyst has a certain outcome he hopes to prove with his data analysis, he might twist and turn the data until it shows what he wants to see.THE BOTTOM LINE â€" CONCLUSIONWith the above in mind, should organizations look into adopting a data-driven or data-informed approach? Much of it depends on what type of data is available and the goals you are trying to achieve with the use of data.Dave Martin distinguishes between the two approaches by saying data-driven is the lazy approach and data-informed is a more testable approach. In essence, being data-informed allows you to interpret the data and to understand the limitations of data, while data-driven organizations just use the data as it is. In the end, whether or not you operate data-driven or data-informed depends on your resources, your goals, and the data you actually have.

Families And Families Of The 21st Century - 819 Words

Families are the basic unit of a well structured society. The way a family functions, â€Å"ensures a society survival† (Parson and Bales, p. 6). On one side of the spectrum, a person can agree that today s families have become dysfunctional or even out of touch with one another because of the perplexities in their family. This can be a decisive factor in why our society today is facing dilemmas all so frequently. This perception can emerge the idea that families is now declining. However, families today have faced tremendous amounts of changes throughout the decades which certainly resulted in eminence in families. Particularly fathers, have shifted their roles in families. Not to mention, mothers and children, are thriving in families today. The structure of families is now changing for the better. Families today can be seen as resilient because of it. Declining and resilience of families are vast components that can be applied in families of the 21st century. One can assume that families are now declining. For families to be considered declining, there has to be disincentive in the family or some hindrance apparent. It can be suggested that families have somehow drifted apart. Barbara LeBey (2005) stated â€Å"american families are drifting apart†( p. 7). LeBey also reveals that there are numerous reasons why families are drifting apart: â€Å"petty grievances to deep-seated prejudices, misunderstandings to all-out, jealousies, sibling rivalry, inheritance feuds, family businessShow MoreRelatedThe 21st Century Modern Family1912 Words   |  8 PagesThe 21st Century Modern Family The 21st Century Modern Family Let us review a global institution. The family is an institution found in every culture of society on earth. Families around the world live, love and work in uniquely different ways depending upon their cultural norms. Vissing says that over the life course every person has a family – even if it is a family of one (Vissing, 2011). 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The African American womans role is to grow and prosper in business, support and be active in her community, maintain a strong family foundation, be spiritually grounded and to emend our health. Black women entering the 21st century have surpassed boundaries and developed legacies in business fields such as architecture, theatre,Read MoreCompany Analysis : The Company1054 Words   |  5 Pagesright of the baby the viewer can see into the next room which contains a bar and leather bar stools. Sitting on top of the counter are everyday items such as a laptop, a cup, and a few bowls. The house looks very modern and atypical of a 21st century American family. Above the baby’s head are the words â€Å"Not just guaranteed for life. Guaranteed for real life.† followed by a description of the paint. The description includes details such as impressive ratings and the website where viewers can find more

The book I choose to read was Delusions of Gender How Our...

The book I choose to read was Delusions of Gender: How Our Mind, Society, and Neurosexism Create Difference by Cordelia Fine. There are three parts to the book: â€Å"Half-changed world†, â€Å"Half-changed minds†, Neurosexisam, and Recycling Gender. The reason I choose this book was because it dealt with gender and how in society and our mind we create the differences that are used against us. I thought that by reading it I would understand more from a psychologist’s point of view how our thought process creates what we perceive as reality, what has been placed upon gender specific things by society, and how it has affected society. In the first half of the book, â€Å"Half-changed world†, â€Å"Half-changed minds†, the author argues about how social and†¦show more content†¦Later in this section she critiques a study, which is widely cited, of the different ways babies gaze. It was a study was that was conducted when the infants were just a day and a half old. It showed that the female babies were much more likely to gaze at faces, while baby boys preferred to look at a mobile. When the study was analyzed scientists took the results as evidence of the fact that girls are more empathic than boys, who are more analytic than girls. (Fine, 112,113,114) Fine does not include any kind of research of her own but she uses this part of the book to point out the faultiness of each of the researches who use this type of study to show the divergence between boys and girls. She does, however, include information on how neurosexism is nothing new and how its roots are in the mid-19th century when the m otives behind the research were to restrict the access to higher education and the rights for women to vote. (Fine,172) In the last part of the book, Recycling Gender, Fine argues against the use of science as a justification of gender stereotypes and how that can impact our future generations in a negative way. In chapter 19 Fine talks about how â€Å"Anyone with ears can hear how adults constantly label gender with words: he, she, man, woman, boy, girl, and so on. And we do this even when we dont have to.† (Fine,210) This is how a child learns to sort themselves into a gender category. Categories are already in place before the child

Mastering Social Work Values and Ethics

Question: Describe about the Mastering Social Work Values and Ethics? Answer: Introduction Ethics is a very sensitive topic at any point in time. The term ethics become even more sensitive when it comes to career or work. There is a thin line that separates ethical practice and unethical practice, and it is up to the individual to differentiate among the two. Case study The issues of ethics can be further explained by a situation where an individual has to decide whether to keep a fully loaded gun in the car in the parking lot without giving a second thought regarding the permission of the parking lot owner. An individual is allowed to keep a gun as long as the individual has got a valid license (Thomas, 2011). No legal party, political force or law can hold the individual guilty if the person can provide a valid license of the gun in possession. However, the question arises how moral is the act when an individual is keeping a gun in the car while the owner is not aware of the fact (Akhtar, 2013). This act can be unethical as the car parking lot owner is not aware of the fact that the individual is keeping a gun in the car. Some situation of unrest may arise in the area that may lead to a raid. Provided that the individual who has kept the gun is not available at that moment, the police may catch hold of the car parking lot owner and hold him guilty regarding the possession of the gun. Hence, it is the duty of the individual to take necessary permission from the lot owner before keeping a gun in the car so that the owner does not end up in trouble (Berry, 2013). An employee might have the legal right to park the car anywhere which has a loaded gun inside it. However, the action cannot be morally justified. Provided any difficult situation arises in the area as mentioned earlier, the lot owner might get arrested due to the car in the parking lot. It will be against the ethics of the individual because the lot owner will be brought under legal prosecution due to the action of the individual (Bredeson Goree, 2012). To avoid any difficult situation, it is the duty of the employer to see that certain situation does not arise in the area by implementing certain rules and regulations. Though individually a person can possess a gun, and no other individual has a right to question the action, however, the individual cannot keep a loaded gun in the car in a public area. By implementing such a rule, the employer will be able to avoid any uninvited circumstance as well as protect the other employees from further disturbance. Stress resulting from the p ressure in the workplace is common nowadays, if the individual succumbs to the pressure and indulges in some unsocial activities as the individual has the gun in possession will invite unnecessary problem in the workplace (Das Gupta, 2010). Though a situation like that is not likely to arise, however, the employer should implement certain rules just for the safety concerns of the other employees (De George, 2010). Any situation of unrest or problems within the company should be left to the company to solve the matter. However, the legislature should get involved if the satiation goes out of hand. A company may implement various rules for the welfare of the employees and it is the duty of the employees to adhere to the rules of the organization for the safety and security of the remaining employees (Demmke Moilanen, 2012). However, the legislature cannot put an individual under prosecution for just carrying the gun with a valid license. However, in case the person is carrying an illegal gun, then the legislature has to get involved in the situation. In addition to this, if there is a tension arising from the possession of the gun among the organization then the company can take necessary help from the law to bring the situation under control (Denzin, 2013). On the other hand, the company might allow the individual to keep the gun, though such an action is not necessary by the part of the organization but the every organization may have their rules and regulations. The organization may justify the decision by citing that there can be problems within the organization where the possession of the gun with an employee might help, however, it is the duty of the company itself to handle such serious situation other than depending on some employees weapon (Gavai, 2010). It is the duty of the company to be well equipped so that such a situation does not arise at all. In addition to this, the more important duty of the company is to control the employees and the environment of the organization so that such a situation never arises in the workplace. While seen from another point of view, the decision of the company to let the employee keep the gun might be unethical; from the companys part as it will violate the rights of the other employees (Shaw , 2011). When an organization employs an individual, it becomes the duty of the organization to look after the safety and security of the employees. Provided that the individual who has a gun might go might through a tensed situation and uses the gun either on himself or on any other employee then the owner of the organization will be charged for such a decision along with the individual who will be guilty of such a gruesome action (Murthy, 2010). Conclusion Thus, it can be said that the differentiation between ethical and unethical is a difficult issue. It is up to the organization to decide what is ethical and what is not by implementing certain rules and regulations in the organization. Though it is not illegal to keep a gun when an individual possesses a valid license, however, it is the duty of the organization to look after the safety and security of the employees and introduced rules and regulations to provide the employees a healthy environment to work in. References Akhtar, F. (2013). Mastering Social Work Values And Ethics. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Berry, P. (2013). Fostering spirituality in the workplace. New York: Business Expert Press. Bowie, N., Schneider, M. (2011). Business ethics for dummies. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Bredeson, D., Goree, K. (2012). Ethics in the workplace. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Das Gupta, A. (2010). Ethics, business and society. Los Angeles: Response Books. De George, R. (2010). Business ethics. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. Demmke, C., Moilanen, T. (2012). Effectiveness of public-service ethics and good governance in the central administration of the EU-27. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang. Denzin, N. (2013). 40th anniversary of studies in symbolic interaction. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald. Gavai, A. (2010). Business ethics. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Murthy, C. (2010). Business ethics. Mumbai [India]: Himalaya Pub. House. Shaw, W. (2011). Business ethics. Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Thomas, R. (2011). Business ethics. Bury St. Edmunds: Ethics International for Centre for Business and Public Sector Ethics.

Polaroid Market Analysis Essay Example

Polaroid Market Analysis Paper Market Analysis 1-People – Target market Polaroid digital-imaging products are targeted to mostly middle and upper income bracket consumers, mostly young adults regardless of age or cultural background that invest in these product for personal use. They are also geared to attract photojournalist, professional photographers and business such as; real estates and advertising agencies. 2-Product: Digital-imaging products market exploded in 1994 and the demand was rapidly expanding to include various models of individual product. Some digital-imaging include, digital camera where photos can be stored on a hard disk and process and retrieve through computers and software, the film camera and scanner which comprise of a magnetic disk that is use to print photos from a computer. There is also the video camera and frame grabber that works with a compact flash, memory stick and magnetic diskette which allows photos to be transmitted via internet, in addition, this product has an optical disk to show images through projectors. We will write a custom essay sample on Polaroid Market Analysis specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Polaroid Market Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Polaroid Market Analysis specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer However, the product that seemed to attract more attention and demand is the digital-camera also refers to as the filmless camera. Although Polaroid had begun investing in research and development in digital-imaging in the 80s, it wasn’t until early 1990s that their first product called Helios Medical Imaging entered the market but started fading by 1996 mainly due to poor marketing strategies. With new entrants by competitors, such as: Kodak and Fuji, Polaroid was forced to reinvent its marketing strategies to maintain its presents in the digital-imaging market. PRODUCT POSITING Polaroid has always been successful in positioning its products in the market due to the following strategies: Continuous investment in Research and Development thereby maintaining awareness of new needs and behavior of its customers. Invest in recruiting professional staff whenever a new product is identified. Polaroid has been a household name for decades. A very innovative company, that always seeks to develop new electronic products to meet the needs of the population. FIVE PRODUCT LEVELS These are as follows: Core – Manufacture digital-imaging cameras to meet the needs of target customers. Basic Provide additional capability to store photos on hard disk to be viewed on computer. Expected As the core and basic levels became routine products offered by all digital-imaging companies, customers begin to expect more extended services. For instance, the increase in storage memory of digital camera, the production of film camera and scanner with magnetic disk to enable photo-printing to printers. Augmented – A level where competitors become an issue, therefore, this is where the Polaroid procure to enhance the quality of current product and procure new and unique ones to offer customers. For example, video camera and frame grabber with memory sticks and optical disk to enable photo sharing via internet and projectors. Potential – In the near future, Polaroid will need to find solution to difficulties facing the digital-imaging market, such as; making it more user friendly digital cameras and improving on the quality of photo-printing. PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION Polaroid has been in the electronic manufacturing business since 1937 and enjoyed tremendous success for decades making brand positioning easily among customers. Polaroid is equipped with competent and experienced electronic imaging groups to develop lasting and reliable products. Capacity to develop unique product, such as, the Helios Medical Imaging, a revolutionary chemical-free, dry imaging system for radiology, which intended to replace X-ray machines. Polaroid is famous for its technological strength nationally and internationally. Invest in mass-market retailers such as Wal-Mart and Kmart, thereby steering from direct competition with other competitors who use specialized stores to sell their products. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE Polaroid digital-imaging products entered the Decline Product Life Cycle during late 1996 and early 1997, where sales dropping rapidly which led to an additional overall decline in profit and market share. Efforts to revive its image in this rapidly growing and highly competitive market proved futile. 3-PRICE PRICE POSITIONING The digital-imaging marketplace currently has considerable competition in providing various products to the target population, but there are opportunities to promote broader competition by lower prices and higher quality services. This is the approach adopted by Polaroid in positioning price whenever possible. PRICING STRUCTURE In setting on new products Polaroid took into consideration prices currently offered by competitors while ensuring that the company maintains its major quantitative goal of profit maximization. An affordable price offered to customers would lead to increased sales and hence increased cash flow. PRICING METHOD AND ACTUAL PRICE Pricing method is based on uniqueness of product. If similar product is unavailable on the market, pricing is set based on product cost and consumer perception of value.   Otherwise, pricing is set taking into account the current market price offered by major competitors for similar product and pixel (image size). For instance, the PCD-2000/40 with 1,200 x 1,600 pixels digital camera was priced at $3,700 in 1996, a relatively good price compared to similar products from other companies. 4-DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL CHANNEL STRUCTURING Polaroid distribution channel is at O level, where the products come from its warehouse and shipped to the retailers, they go through a packaging process and then delivered to the relevant distributors on a timely manner. PRODUCT FLOW Physical Flow- All products move from the warehouse to retail distributors, such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, food stores and pharmacies among others. Title Flow – Once the product is bought it becomes the property of the buyer. Payment Flow – Once retailers received payment from customers, the agreed amount after commission is deducted and sent to Polaroid through their bank. Information Flow – Initial information on the products flows from Polaroid to target customers via advertisements or sponsored promotional events. Promotion Flow The demand for a particular product is created by the customer due to his/her needs but it is management of Polaroid that decide if, how and when to make such product available to the market. In most cases, the company’s decision is highly influenced by the status of the market pertaining to the products. 5-PROMOTION Polaroid invests mainly in advertisement through promotional magazines on electronics, and direct marketing campaign targeting customers while they shop at the retail stores that carry their products. Public relations promotional tools via internet/ websites, sponsored trade shows are also used in marketing their products. Personal sales flyers/ letters sent directing to potential customers are not common with Polaroid. Conclusion: Critical Issues: Polaroid’s failure in the digital-imaging was mainly due to its inability to compete with strong competitors, like Kodak, Fuji, Sony and Casio, who are new entrants to the market and continue to be profitable in the industry. Need to make their products and marketing positioning clearer nd be more market segment focus. There is notable lack of effective leadership within the various key sections of the company, especially in the customer service area. Financial situation of the company is alarming and bankruptcy is probable if management does not act immediately. Recommendations: Need to create three main working groups/ task force: Create a team comprising of key managers as a ‘think group’, to explore new ideas and product suitable for the market, and to focus more on ways to increase revenue rather than cost-cutting. For example, ensure payroll expenses do not exceed revenue. Develop a competent marketing team to focus exclusively on current and potential competitors and developing strategies to stay ahead in the industry. Enhance customer service team by offering some incentives in order to achieve increased marketing awareness and loyalty. This team needs to constantly monitor customers’ satisfaction. Need to partnership with other companies, such as; internet companies, to enhance its goals and objectives.