Foundations of Business Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Foundations of Business Knowledge - Essay Example In any working environment, the implementation of management as well as the establishment of communication and relationships becomes more effective if there is a complete understanding of each individual’s traits and capabilities so every working person can be further managed, motivated and developed. Understanding one’s personality and becoming familiar with his or her learning style is an effective means of determining ambivalent qualities that are hard to pin down (Spender & Scherer, 2007). Through the use of self-assessment tests, learning styles indicators and personality tests, individuals are helped in developing self-awareness that is extremely essential when working with any organization (Atherton, 2003). Consequently, companies will be able to support others in achieving self-awareness and working further towards development. They will also be able to improve their level of knowledge of how they can understand and motivate their employees, which will eventuall y aid them to function better in the workplace and even within their personal lives. In turn, these organizations may attain benefits from the improved performance and effectiveness of their employees; desirable outcomes for the organization include increased productivity, enhanced sense of collaboration, and sustained efforts towards self-development. To understand various personality types has been proven valuable for any company as they are able to appreciate their value, strengths and qualities in relation to their contribution to the organization’s goals (Malone, Crowstone & Herman, 2003). Organizational members develop an understanding that their differences are primarily based on their personalities and thus have to find ways of leveraging on such differences rather than allowing these to deter them from reaching organizational goals. Furthermore, aside from managing

This I Believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

This I Believe - Essay Example In the rush, my father happened to put a small dent in another car. Because of our pressing need, we sped off as fast as we could. When we arrived at the company, my father was told that the general manager was not there yet and we would have to wait. This was a relief because we were involved in a small accident to try and get here on time and now we actually had more time than we needed. I asked my father about the small incident on the road but he said that there was nothing that we could do about it and it was an accident anyway. Finally, the general manager turned up and my father went in to see him. Me and my mother waited outside for about 30 minutes until my father came out. I could tell from the look on his face that something was wrong. I asked him whether he had received the job or not and he replied positively. Then I said to him why he looked so sad if he had been hired. My father responded that the manager had told him that someone had crashed into the back of him on hi s way to the building and then sped off without stopping. My father said he felt a sense of guilt. I told him that he should tell his new manager about the incident and the fact that he was the other driver. My father replied that he would probably lose his new job, but there is no way that he could hide this fact from his new boss. So he went and told his new manager. Surprisingly, the manager said that it was okay and he appreciated my father’s honesty and responsibility. Even more shocking was the fact that my father still had a job. His boss told him that he needed employees who he could trust, and that my father was one of

Implications Of Different Sources Of Finance Finance Essay

Implications Of Different Sources Of Finance Finance Essay This assignment will look at the different sources of finance that are available to a small business or a big company. With each source of finance listed the report will assess the implications that can arise and along with this the report will look at the cost to the business to taking a curtain source of finance. All businesses need short-term finance from the very beginning to start up the business and to cover day-to-day running costs. This provides the business with working capital. However businesses also need long-term capital to help them to grow and expand, and this is paid back over a number of years. Without finance a business would find it difficult to accomplish anything. For my assignment purpose I have chosen two companys they are sainsbury and tesco respectly, source of finance can be define into two ways such as internal source of finance and external source of finance. Source of Internal finace fro both company are as follows: Personal savings: This is most often an option for small businesses where the owner has some savings available to use as they wish. Practically both sainsbury and tesco depends on their savings for source of finance. Retained profit: This is profit already made that has been set aside to reinvest in the business. It could be used for new machinery, marketing and advertising, vehicles or a new IT system. Working capital: This is short-term money that is reserved for day-to-day expenses such as stationery, salaries, rent, bills and invoice payments. Sales of assets: There may be surplus fixed assets, such as buildings and machinery that could be sold to generate money for new areas. Decisions to sell items that are still used should be made carefully as it could affect capacity to deliver existing products and services. External Source of financing: Shares: Limited companies could look to sell additional shares, to new or existing shareholders, in exchange for a return on their investment. Loans: There are debenture loans, with fixed or variable interest, which are usually secured against the asset being invested in, so the loan company will have a legal shared interest in the investment. This means that the company would not be able to sell the asset without the lenders prior agreement. In addition the lender will take priority over the owners and shareholders if the business should fail and the cost will have to be repaid even if a loss is made. There are other types of loan for fixed amounts with fixed repayment schedules. These may be considered a little more flexible than debenture loans. Overdraft: A bank overdraft may be a good source of short-term finance to help a business flatten seasonal dips in cash-flow, which would not justify or need a long-term solution. The advantage here is that interest is calculated daily and an overdraft is therefore cheaper than a loan. Hire purchase: Hire purchase arrangements enable a firm to acquire an asset quickly without paying the full-price for it. The company will have exclusive use of the item for a set period of time and then have the option to either return it or buy it at a reduced price. This is often used to fund purchases of vehicles, machinery and printers. Credit from suppliers: Many invoices have payment terms of 30 days or longer. A company can take the maximum amount of time to pay and use the money in the interim period to finance other things. This method should be treated with caution to ensure that the invoice is still paid on time or else the firm might risk upsetting the supplier and jeopardise the future working relationship and terms of business. It should also be remembered that its not found money but rather a careful balancing act of cash-flow. Grants: Grants are often available from councils and other Government bodies for specific issues. For example there may be a council priority to regenerate a particular area of a town and who are happy to help fund refurbishment of buildings. Alternatively there may be an organisation that specialises in helping young entrepreneurs to launch new businesses. Assessment for grants can be very competitive, is very individual and not automatic. Venture capital: This source is most often used in the early stages of developing a new business. There may be a huge risk of failure but the potential returns may also be big. This is a high risk source as the venture capitalist will be looking for a share in the firms equity and a strong return on their investment. However the significant experience these investors have in running businesses could prove valuable to the company. This is what the TV programme Dragons Den is all about! Factoring: This involves a company outsourcing its invoicing arrangements to an external organisation. It immediately allows the company to receive money based on the value of its outstanding invoices as well as to receive payment of future invoices more quickly. It works by the firm making a sale, sending the invoice to the customer, copying the invoice to the factoring company and the factoring company paying an agreed percentage of that invoice, usually 80% within 24 hours. There are fees involved to cover credit management, administration charges, interest and credit protection charges. This must be weighed up against the benefit gained in maximising cash flow, a reduction in the time spent chasing payments and access to a more sophisticated credit control system. The downside is that customers may prefer to deal direct with the company selling the goods or services. In addition ending the relationship could be tricky as the sales ledger would have to be repurchased. Money is a scarce resource and each source has its own advantages and disadvantages. Lenders will be looking for a return on investment, the size of the risk and the flexibility with which they can get their money back when they want or need it. For the company seeking money, the decision as to the best source will ultimately depend on what the money is for, how long the money is needed for, the cost of borrowing and whether the firm can afford the repayments. Task 2: The launch of Clubcard in Thailand in August this year extends Tescos loyalty cards operation further across the globe, and belatedly brings Thailands biggest retailer into a loyalty card market which already contains offers from Carrefour, Tops and Big C. It will clearly be big: in its first three weeks Clubcard gained more members (two million) than competitor Carrefours I-Wish card has accumulated since its launch in 2007. The recent launch in Malaysia has resulted in 70% of scanned transactions being covered by Clubcard. The benefits to Tesco are clear. Their dominance of the UK market has been underpinned by Clubcard, and whilst their latest campaign to double points has yet to prove effective (Tesco growth in the period still lags Asda*, a competitor which does not use a loyalty card), there is a consensus amongst industry observers that it has historically been a critical part of their marketing mix. The benefits to manufacturers are less clear; and one suspects criticism of ones biggest customer would naturally be muted. So what are the implications for Tescos suppliers and how should they respond to Clubcard? Clubcard is a loyalty card, and is designed to encourage shoppers to use a particular chain more. In its simplest incarnation a loyalty card gives rewards, usually in the form of discounts against future purchases, based on how much is spent. Because Clubcard registers who did the shopping, it is possible for Tesco (through their partners Dunnhumby, majority-owned by Tesco), to analyze who buys what, which should enable activities such as promotions to be better targeted. So, for example, a coffee supplier could target their next promotion only at shoppers who bought the competitor product. The targeting of promotions offers a theoretical improvement in effectiveness, but the real boon is the potential to effectively evaluate activities knowing which shoppers bought adds useful data to a promotion evaluation which is currently limited to whether sales went up or not. Clubcard promises suppliers much: Insight into shoppers, more efficient promotions, and unprecedented access to new in-store media opportunities. Suppliers will need to evaluate the potential benefits of the Clubcard offer against the inevitable associated costs. Yet it clearly has limitations: Clubcard in Thailand has two million card holders, yet with Tesco enjoying 25% of the Thai retail market, their total number of shoppers must be significantly higher than this. So how skewed is the sample, how representative, and what is missing? Task 3 Choosing the Right Source of Finance A business needs to assess the different types of finance based on the following criteria: Amount of money required a large amount of money is not available through some sources and the other sources of finance may not offer enough flexibility for a smaller amount. How quickly the money is needed the longer a business can spend trying to raise the money, normally the cheaper it is. However it may need the money very quickly (say if had to pay a big wage bill which if not paid would mean the factory would close down). The business would then have to accept a higher cost. The cheapest option available the cost of finance is normally measured in terms of the extra money that needs to be paid to secure the initial amount the typical cost is the interest that has to be paid on the borrowed amount. The cheapest form of money to a business comes from its trading profits. The amount of risk involved in the reason for the cash a project which has less chance of leading to a profit is deemed more risky than one that does. Potential sources of finance (especially external sources) take this into account and may not lend money to higher risk business projects, unless there is some sort of guarantee that their money will be returned. The length of time of the requirement for finance a good entrepreneur will judge whether the finance needed is for a long-term project or short term and therefore decide what type of finance they wish to use. Short Term and Long Term Finance Short-term finance is needed to cover the day to day running of the business. It will be paid back in a short period of time, so less risky for lenders. Long-term finance tends to be spent on large projects that will pay back over a longer period of time. More risky so lenders tend to ask for some form of insurance or security if the company is unable to repay the loan. A mortgage is an example of secured long-term finance. The main types of short-term finance are: Overdraft Suppliers credit Working capital The main types of long-term finance that are available for to a business are: Mortgages Bank loans Share issue Debentures Retained profits Hire purchase Internal and External Finance Internal finance comes from the trading of the business. External finance comes from individuals or organisations that do not trade directly with the business e.g. banks. Internal finance tends to be the cheapest form of finance since a business does not need to pay interest on the money. However it may not be able to generate the sums of money the business is looking for, especially for larger uses of finance. Examples of internal finance are: Day to day cash from sales to customers. Money loaned from trade suppliers through extended credit. Reductions in the amount of stock held by the business. Disposal (sale) of any surplus assets no longer needed (e.g. selling a company car). Examples of external finance are: An overdraft from the bank. A loan from a bank or building society. The sale of new shares through a share issue. Task 4 All lenders charge interest on their loans and this is the major element in the cost of the finance. Building societies and banks have variable interest rates which may vary according to the size of the loan. However, there are other charges that are normally involved in arraning a mortgage: Arrangement fees Banks and building societies do not always charge arrangement or setup fees, but many lenders do charge them, particularly for some of the specialist mortgages described later in this guide. Arrangement fees are typically in the range of  £100  £400. Valuers report In order to protect its security, the lender will want to be sure that the house is worth the sale price, so will alwas insist on a valuation for mortgage purposes. This will be carried out by a qualified surveyor, who will charge a survey fee, paid by the borrower. The lenders survey aims to establish if the value of the house is enough to protect the lenders security. It does not mean that the property is free from any defects. It is therefore recommended that house buyers obtain a homebuyers report or a full survey to ensure that they are aware of any problems. This will increase the cost but could prove to be a wise investment. Indemnity guarantee fee Some lenders insist on an indemnity guarantee policy if the loan exceeds 75 percent of the property value. This protects the lender in the event of the borrower defaulting on the mortgage and the sale price of the property not being enough to repay the loan. However, this policy is paid for by the borrower and often, the premium has to be added to the loan. In recent times, the threshold for mortgage indemnity guarantees has increased many lenders now set the level at 90 percent. Stamp duty This is a tax charged by the Government on the document transferring ownership of the house, paid by the purchaser. The rates are: Nil up to  £60,000 1% over  £60,000 but not more than  £250,000 3% over  £250,000 but not more than  £500,000 4% over  £500,000 Legal fees There will be legal fees payable to the solicitor or licensed conveyancer handling the transaction. The legal fees will include the local search fees (carried out to reveal matters affecting theproperty) and land registry fees, as well as the lawyers own charges. Other charges All mortgage lenders will have a tariff of other charges that you may incur in certain circumstances at various points during the life of your loan. These are not universal charges lenders will vary in terms of which ones apply, but all should be able to provide details on request. Task 5: Importance of Financial Planning It is important to plan finances in order to reap long term benefits through the assets in hand. The investments that one makes are structured properly and managed by professionals through financial planning. Every decision regarding our finances can be monitored if a proper plan is devised in advance. The following points explain why financial planning is important. Cash Flow: Financial planning helps in increasing cash flow as well as monitoring the spending pattern. The cash flow is increased by undertaking measures such as tax planning, prudent spending and careful budgeting. Capital: A strong capital base can be built with the help of efficient financial planning. Thus, one can think about investments and thereby improve his financial position. Income: It is possible to manage income effectively through planning. Managing income helps in segregating it into tax payments, other monthly expenditures and savings. Family Security: Financial planning is necessary from the point of view of family security. The various policies available in the market serve the purpose of financially securing the family. Investment: A proper financial plan that considers the income and expenditure of a person, helps in choosing the right investment policy. It enables the person to reach the set goals. Standard of Living: The savings created by through planning, come to the rescue in difficult times. Death of the bread winner in a family, affects the standard of living to a great extent. A proper financial plan acts as a guard in such situations and enables the family to survive hard times. Financial Understanding: The financial planning process helps gain an understanding about the current financial position. Adjustments in an investment plan or evaluating a retirement scheme becomes easy for an individual with financial understanding. Assets: A nice cushion in the form of assets is what many of us desire for. But many assets come with liabilities attached. Thus, it becomes important to determine the true value of an asset. The knowledge of settling or canceling the liabilities, comes with the understanding of our finances. The overall process helps us build assets that dont become a burden in the future. Savings: It is good to have investments with high liquidity. These investments, owing to their liquidity, can be utilized in times of emergency and for educational purposes. The argument made by people from low income groups is that they dont need to plan their finances due to the less money they possess. However, no matter how much one earns, better planning of income always helps in the long run. Task 6: Defining the problem Take time to properly define the problem. What is the issue to be covered? What is the problem? What decisions need to be taken? A fish-bone diagram will sometimes help in understanding the complex interlinkages that create a particular problem. For each of the causes or its effects, make a list of information or data that will be required, and clarify how that information will lead to a better decision. Finding the information Determine the sources from where information needed for decision-making can be obtained. What information needs to be taken? Who has that information? Why is that information being collected by the source? Which component of the problem at hand will it help? Evaluate the sources to see which of them can provide the best information, and identify the mode and format in which the information is presented. Keep in mind that different sources provide information in different formats (for different reasons!). Processing the Knowledge This where the information gathered is matched with the problem in hand. The relevant information from each source is extracted and information from multiple sources is organized. Which parts of the information collected needs to be used? What additional data or information is needed? How can information be best presented to be able to understand the situation and take decisions? The collected information is evaluated and integrated for its relevance, validity and interconnectedness. Taking the decision In an interactive and inclusive process involving all the concerned parties, form an opinion from the information collected for its effectiveness and efficiency. Use it to take the decision. Has the decision taken help in solving the problem at hand? Was the decision satisfactory and took into account all the views of concerned parties? A decision taken may need to be examined closely and refined, and modified to meet differing needs over time. Task 7 Impact of finance of financial statement is immence because inorder to prepare financial statememnt some cost is essential such as auditors fee, financial analysts fee.

Machiavelli vs Islamic political thought :: essays research papers

Machiavelli vs Islamic Political Thought   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Niccolo Machiavelli was a political realist. He thought there were certain skills and characteristics needed to become a political ruler. In his work, The Prince, Machiavelli gives advice on how to be a successful prince, or ruler. â€Å"Successful† is partly based on how powerful a ruler was during his lifetime (reign), but largely based on how much the prince affected the lives, through laws or societal norms, of future generations. Machiavelli was mainly interested in attaining and keeping political power. He believed people were inherently selfish and would, by nature, not respect the law or work for the common good, without civic virtues. The only way to ‘control’ these human urges was to instill national pride and mutual respect for all citizens of a state. The difference in Machiavellian thought, up to this point in history, from other philosophers was he believed political authority was no longer justified by religious or spiritual doct rines. Although Machiavelli believed this to be true, he still knew it was important for citizens to maintain a commitment for the common good, through national pride and respect. Another aspect of differing thought up to this point in time was Machiavelli knew promoting civic virtue in citizens needed to be coupled with the pursuit of individual liberty.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Machiavelli, in his writings, talks about several different forms of government. Specifically, monarchies, aristocracies, and democracies. He was able to pick apart monarchies, establishing the difference between ‘new’ and old monarchies. The new monarchies are the hard ones to maintain, because people are not susceptible to change, in fact they almost revolt against it, unless the new ruler can make good on his word and keep his promises. Machiavelli’s preferred form of government was the republic. A republic is a mixing of the three governments aforementioned. Having the government made up of the nobles, the elite, and the commoners establishes a set of checks and balances against one another. No one, particular group will be able to take control of the state again. And in fact, the people (citizens) tend to have more leverage than any other faction. Machiavelli knew people were mainly concerned about their property and well being of their fa mily. He also knew the government’s job was to protect both, in addition to helping the people prosper and follow their â€Å"hearts,† if you will. Machiavelli believed only certain people could become rulers, because it took a special sort of person.

Common Errors

In two thousand. This does not apply to expressions representing money, time of day, Biblical citations, and a few other things. When using a specific date (month, day, and year), you must have punctuation on either side of the year. Today is September 23, 2012, and it is a Monday. Today is September 23, 2012. When indicating a specific city and state, you need punctuation on either side of the state. We are in Indianapolis, Indiana, headed for Chicago. Indianapolis, Indiana. Structure We are in A comma splice is a type of run-on sentence where you put two complete thoughts together with a comma.You must make these into separate sentences which can be done in a number of ways. Refer to the text for help. Or, just ask. For example: We went to the movie, we were disappointed with the plot. Comma splice We went to the movie; we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a semicolon We went to the movie, and we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a comma/coordinating conjunction We went to the movie; however, we were disappointed with the plot. Join with a conjunctive adverb When you join two complete sentences with ‘however' as a conjunctive adverb, you must use a Nicolle before the ‘however and a comma after it.Examples Of other conjunctive adverbs are otherwise, consequently, indeed, similarly, finally, likewise, then, furthermore, moreover, therefore, hence, nevertheless. For example: We went to the mall; however, we did not purchase anything. Try never to start a sentence with â€Å"There are/were/will be, etc†¦. † And certainly not a paragraph. Less a useless word that does not add to the meaning and does not act as a transition. A shift in number occurs when the writer changes from singular to plural or plural to singular. For example,My goal is to get the attention of the reader so that they will understand my message. â€Å"Reader is singular; â€Å"they' is plural. You must keep the same number. My goal is to get the atte ntion of the readers so that they will understand my message. Papers You cannot use any form of first or second person in your papers. These include l, me, us, we, our, ours, you, yours. First and second person pronouns are fine in your Discussion Boards and Peer Reviews. You must have your pages set up with auto pagination so that the page number ‘moves' with your work. If you do not know how to do this, check in Word for help.The intro to your papers must have the title of the work (if you are reviewing an article) and the author's name. You need to preview you main points and end with a thesis statement. When you write an introduction to your paper, you want to get the readers attention as well as preview your main points. Generally, you will have three to five main points. The intro is meant to be a road map of sorts. You subtly tell your reader where you plan to go. Then, each of the main points should be discussed (in the same order as they were presented in the intro) i n a paragraph or so each.Finally, you need a conclusion that elates directly to the intro by summarizing the main points that you have made in the paper. Your quotations should never exceed three lines. If so, you have to treat them differently per MEAL. Additionally, such long quotes do not serve you well in short papers such as these. Limit the quotes in length. Try to paraphrase and then to use the quotes for sources/back-up to your thoughts. Since we generally have only one source for the first paper, you must cite the author only the first time you quote her. For example, after your first quotation, you would have (author's name and the page number).After that, unless you have another source, you need only cite the page number (405) for example. Remember that you must cite quoted material immediately. Cite paraphrased material when you have finished with the topic, generally at the end of the paragraph. When you introduce a source in your papers, you must give that person reaso nable credentials. For example, you would not write John Smith refers to this type of movement as an economic disaster (citation). Instead, you would credential the source by saying something like John Smith, a professor of economics at Yale University, refers to†¦.

Huckleberry Finn Should Be Banned

Huckleberry Finn should be banned from schools. There are several issues in the novel that schools should not permit their students to learn about and study. These issues are extreme racism, Huck questioning the rules of society, and teaching bad morals. Huckleberry Finn contains several racist comments. In today’s society, there are people who will take these comments very offensively Huck says, â€Å"according to the old saying, ‘Give a nigger an inch and he’ll take an ell. † Huck is stating that other people believe the African American slaves were to have strict rules to abide by because if you let them get away with something once, they will take advantage of that opportunity and try to get away with something else later on in the future. During the time that Huckleberry Finn was written, African Americans did not have the freedom that they do today. They were considered property, not citizens, which people would buy, trade, and own. Throughout Huckleb erry Finn, Huck is constantly questioning the rules of his society.One example is when Huck says, â€Å"The widow rung a bell for supper, and you had to come to time. When you got to the table you couldn't go right to eating, but you had to wait for the widow to tuck down her head and grumble a little over the victuals, though there warn't really anything the matter with them. † When he is stating this, he believes that the rules in the society he lives in are petty and useless. If students are allowed to read this, they may begin to think that it is okay to question the rules that our government have set and possibly not follow them because they think they are petty or useless.The final reason that Huckleberry Finn should be banned from schools is that Huck teaches bad morals for the students who have to read this novel. Instead of following the rules of the society he has grown up with, he uses made up rules of Tom Sawyer and doesn’t question them. â€Å"So Tom got out a sheet of paper that he had wrote the oath on, and read it. It swore every boy to stick to the band, and never tell any of the secrets,† This quote gives an example of the rules that Tom Sawyer set that Huck began to adopt.This band was set up in a way that it seemed like a club or a gang. Students may read this and begin to think that because they do not believe what the rules of society are, that it is okay to join a club to rebel and have their own set of rules. Therefore, Huckleberry Finn should be banned from all schools. The issues that just have been discussed should be taken into consideration. With the extreme racism, the questioning of the society by Huck, and the teaching bad morals should be enough to ban this novel.

Motivation Tips For Students

Motivation Tips For Students Do you need motivation for doing your homework? Sometimes we all need a little prodding when it comes to getting our work done. If you ever feel like homework is pointless, you may find inspiration in the following tips. The problems below have been submitted by real students. Get Perspective! You’ve probably heard the old saying â€Å"I’ll never use this knowledge in the real world.† It’s time to set the record straight once and for all- that saying is completely false! When you start feeling like homework is a drag, it might help to start thinking about the reason you’re doing homework in the first place. The work you do now really is important, even though it’s probably hard to see sometimes. In truth, your nightly homework is work that will form the foundation for your future. Right now you are probably being forced to study topics that don’t interest you at all. It may seem cruel and unfair now, but it’s really an important and necessary â€Å"evil.† Why? Because a strong foundation must include a good mix of ingredients. You see, you may not believe that you’ll need your algebra skills later in life, but algebra sets the stage for understanding principles of science, economics, and business. It’s the same for English homework. You’ll need those skills desperately in college, and you’ll certainly need them to succeed in the world. Get an Attitude! Are you a math whiz? A great writer? Are you artistic- or maybe good at solving puzzles? Most students have a special talent in one particular area, so they enjoy doing homework on that topic. The problem comes when they avoid doing the other stuff. Sound familiar? The good news is that you don’t need to love everything. Just pick one area you love and become the self-appointed expert in your school. Get a serious attitude! Think of yourself as the very best on that one topic, and then make it a reality. For inspiration, you can create a web site or perhaps a series of podcasts about your topic. Become a star! Once you become an expert in your field, you will gain confidence in yourself and become more tolerant of the topics you don’t enjoy so much. You’ll start thinking of all your least favorite topics as â€Å"supporting† actors in your quest for a career in the area you love. Get Competitive! This problem could be real or imagined. Either way, this problem is the best kind! If you have a competitive spirit, you can have a lot of fun with this one. If you think you’re at a disadvantage to other students, you can turn things around by getting a competitive attitude. Think of every project as a challenge and set out to do your assignment better than anybody else. Try to surprise everyone- including the teacher- by doing outstanding work. If you feel like you are part of a misfit crowd, then it might help to team up with a friend or two. Put your heads together and plot to outdo the popular crowd. You’ll find that this can be very inspiring! Get Your Eye on the Prize! If you get bored just thinking about homework, then you may need to focus on setting and reaching goals. For instance, if you are having trouble getting started on a big science project, then divide your project into steps. Then, reward yourself each time you finish a step successfully. Your first step could be library research. Set a timeline for visiting the library and completing your research. Think of a good way to reward yourself, like a frothy iced coffee drink or another favorite treat. Then focus on the prize and make it happen! Your parents will probably support you in this endeavor. Just ask! There are many variations to the â€Å"eye on the prize† system. You may want to create a dream box or a bulletin board with pictures of big prizes, like the college of your dreams. Fill the box or board with the objects of your dreams and make a habit of looking at them often. In other words, keep your eyes on those prizes! Get Support! It’s unfortunate but true that some students don’t receive much encouragement or support when it comes to school work. Some students don’t have any encouragement from family or don’t even have any family at all. But that doesn’t mean nobody cares. There are lots of people who care very much that you succeed in school. Just think about it- this web site wouldn’t exist if somebody didn’t want you to succeed. There are many people who care. People in your school have a big stake in your success. They are judged on your performance. If you don’t do well, they don’t do well. Adults from all walks of life are concerned about education and the plight of students just like you. The state of education is a big topic of discussion and debate among adults. If you feel like you don’t get support at home, then find an education forum and talk about it. You’ll find that there are lots of people who are interested and willing to cheer you on!