Monday, December 30, 2019

Corruption in Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

If you were to witness something corrupt, what would you do? Would you try to stop it? Or would you just look the other way and pretend it was not there? In today’s society, corruption is almost everywhere, and too often, people just look the other way, allowing it to continue. In writing The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger attempts to show people the evils of a corrupt society, and how it can harm anyone. He does this through Holden’s experiences at Pencey and in NYC, as well as the uncertainty and confusion that Holden feels about sex. While he is at Pencey, Holden experiences corruption many times. This may be one of the reasons that he does not try in his classes. At some point, he joins a secret fraternity, not because he wants†¦show more content†¦But when the prostitute arrives, she is around Holden’s age, is nervous, and just wants to get it over with. This makes Holden even more uneasy, because he realizes that she might have been like any other girl his age, but she has been corrupted. This is one reason that he is unable to go through with it, the other being that Holden does not feel like he can connect with her. Another time this confusion and uncertainty is shown is when Holden is thinking about Stradlater and Jane. He is worried that Stradlater will corrupt Jane, a girl whom Holden still cares for, by seducing her to have sex with him. Stradlater is â€Å"unscrupulous† (40), and most of the time he does succeed in having sex with the girl; once, he got close to doing it with Hol den and Holden’s date in the car with them. Stradlater is corrupt in this way, because he is promiscuous and corrupts the girls he dates. But even Stradlater is not as corrupt as Luce, the Student Advisor he had while he was at Whooton. While Holden is waiting for Luce to arrive at the Wicker Bar, he thinks about the time when he went to Whooton, another private school, and Luce was his Student Advisor. Instead of advising the students, Luce would â€Å"give these sex talks†¦late at night, when there [were] a bunch of guys in his room† (143). These â€Å"guys† were young boys, and the fact that Luce isShow MoreRelatedEvil and Corruption in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger610 Words   |  3 PagesEvil and Corruption in The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden views the world as an evil and corrupt place where there is no peace. His view of the world does not change much through the novel. However as the novel continues, Holden gradually comes to the realization that he is powerless to change this. In the book Holden succeeds in making us think that the world is crazy. Shortly after Holden leaves Pencey Prep, he checks in to the Edmont HotelRead MoreCatcher in the Rye vs Frankenstein Novel Study Essay1304 Words   |  6 Pagesage, they lose their innocence due to the corruption that exists in society. This is demonstrated in the two novels, Catcher in the Rye and Frankenstein. The two authors, J.D. Salinger and Mary Shelley prove this statement through their use of various literary devices. Key characters in both novels- Holden and the creature- learn through personal experiences that innocence cannot, in fact, be preserved forever, and they both face the reality of corruption. The use of allusions in both novels playsRead MoreCatcher Rye And Perfect Day For Bananafish1562 Words   |  7 Pages The Catcher in The Rye and Perfect Day For Bananafish In â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†,by J.D Salinger, Holden Caulfield, a troubled 16 year old boy who constantly gets kicked out of every school takes it upon himself to become â€Å"The Catcher in the Rye†, in reality not being real occupation but an idea he chose to adopt for himself after he heard a little boy singing in the street. The catcher in the Rye can be described in Holden’s perspective as a person, almost like a hero that helps childrenRead MoreSymbolism In Catcher In The Rye841 Words   |  4 Pagesof purity is an inevitable feeling. In The Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger uses motifs, symbols, and extended metaphors to convey the theme that innocence can not be prevented. Saliger uses motifs which allows the reader to understand vulnerability from being shown into the adult world through the use of the hunting hat and estrangement from his surroundings by the migration of the ducks. The hat signifies his recurring display of timidity. Salinger indicates to his readers that Holden uses hisRead MoreHolden Caulfield and the Pressures of Society: The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger1286 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel to life. In the bildungsroman, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, characterization is often found, especially regarding the protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Salinger also includes many themes in his novel relating to growing up in a corrupt society. Hence, this paper will compare, contrast, and evaluate literary criticisms regarding the themes and characterization of J.D. Salinger’s novel The Catcher in the Rye. Many critics of The Catcher in the Rye discuss in depth the characterizationRead MoreHow Salinger’s Holden Caulfield Relates to Teenagers Throughout Time1412 Words   |  6 PagesSalinger’s Holden Caulfield Relates to Teenagers Throughout Time In 1951, J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was #1 on the New York Time’s bestseller list. Since then, the American Literary Association claims The Catcher in the Rye is a â€Å"favorite of censors.† The use of harsh language and profanity has been a long time debate of educators causing the novel to be pulled off bookshelves and propelling J.D. Salinger and his protagonist, Holden Caulfield, into reluctant fame. The translationRead MoreThe Theme of Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Essay568 Words   |  3 PagesThe Theme of Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger In the novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist Holden Caulifield views the world as an evil corrupt place where there is no peace. Holden has a phony phobia that restricts him from becoming a fully matured adult. In Holdens attempted journey in becoming a fully matured adult, he encounters many scenarios involving friendship, personal opinions, and his love of children. His journey is an unpleasant and difficult one with manyRead MoreEssay on The Death of Innocence in The Catcher in the Rye1156 Words   |  5 Pages   Ã‚   Holden identifies with, yearns for, and despises traits of the adult and child realms. In the novel The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, the protagonist, Holden Caulfield, fears becoming an adult who exhibits the characteristics that he holds complaints against. Throughout this Bildungsroman narrative, Holden searches for his identity. He tries to figure out his place either in the adult or child realm. Holden possesses a combination of fear and hatred for phonies. Holden usesRead MoreUse of Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby820 Words   |  4 PagesUse Of Symbolism In The Catcher In The Rye and The Great Gatsby There are many writers like James Joyce, Patrick Kananach and Thomas Moore who use symbolism to convey and support indirect meaning in their writings. J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald both use symbolism in similar ways. In both The Catcher In The Rye and The Great Gatsby, the authors used symbolism to convey emotions and reality. In The Catcher In The Rye, J.D. Salinger uses Holdens red hunting cap, the exhibitsRead More Use Of Symbolism In The Catcher In The Rye and The Great Gatsby804 Words   |  4 PagesUse Of Symbolism In â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye† and â€Å"The Great Gatsby† There are many writers like James Joyce, Patrick Kananach and Thomas Moore who use symbolism to convey and support indirect meaning in their writings. J.D. Salinger and F. Scott Fitzgerald both use symbolism in similar ways. In both â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye† and â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, the authors used symbolism to convey emotions and reality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"The Catcher In The Rye†, J.D. Salinger uses Holden’s red hunting cap, the exhibits

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Day That The 9 / 11 Attacks Happened - 1631 Words

When I was very young I remember the day that the 9/11 attacks happened. I was in my 5th grade math class when my principle made an announcement over the PA stating what took place. He requested that there be an immediate assembly in the gym. When we got to the gym he began to talk about how America was attacked and that two airplanes hit the Twin Towers in New York City. When I was hearing all this I was very confused only being a young boy. Many people came to pick their children up from school in fear that something could happen to us. I also remember how the news portrayed the attacks. They constantly replayed the footage of the planes hitting the towers over and over again. This was a form of social control, in the form of an agent of socialization where â€Å"mass media gives information and images that are consumed by the general public (Chriss, 2010). They wanted to strike fear into the people of America and wanted a sense of patriotic emotion running through their veins. Pr esident Bush came onto TV and told everyone that they have weapons of mass destruction and didn’t really explain who they are. The only motive was to hurt the American people and this was an action of war. He mentioned that this was the doing of Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden. It wasn’t until I just read this article that I really understood why Al Qaeda does these things or what their motives are. Al Qaeda lives and operates by the theory of focoism. This focoist theory is explained in Che’s article asShow MoreRelatedWhat Happened in September 11th, 2001 Essay889 Words   |  4 Pages What happened on September 11th, 2001? A day that will be remembered and never forgotten, a day that many innocent people died because of a terrible tragedy that happened on September 11th, 2001 at the World Trade Center in New York City. To many people it probably just looked like another regular work day, but didn’t expect the worst that day. On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City (†11 facts about 9/11†). SeptemberRead MoreSeptember 11, 2001 and the Twin Towers786 Words   |  3 Pageswitnessed the crumbling of the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001 will never be the same. There were multiple attacks that happened on this day, but the main attacks were in New York City. The 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center were one of the most tragic events to happen in New York City, but there have been things said about George Bush and him knowing about the attacks and that the government was behind it. The attacks that happened on September 11, 2001 attacked the twin towers in New York City,Read More9 / 11 Inside Job977 Words   |  4 PagesHolly James Mr. Bergmann Senior English B2 31 March 2015 9/11 Inside Job On September 11, 2001, four different planes were hijacked by terrorists. Two of them headed for the Twin Towers, the other headed for the Pentagon and the other nobody really knows for sure. The two that were headed for the Twin Towers, sadly made it there and crashed into both of them, they collapsed. The one headed toward the Pentagon also made it there. But the other plane didn’t make it to wherever it was supposed toRead MoreThe Bombing Of Twin Towers1654 Words   |  7 Pagesthere. They had almost controlled U.S. economy when they were existed. However, they got attacked on Setember, 2001. The attacks were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group Al-Qaeda on the United States on the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001. The attacks consisted of suicide attacks used to target symbolic U.S. landmarks. Due to the attacks many bad effects were occured. First, hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic debris containing more than 2,500 co ntaminantsRead MoreA Comparison of the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the Terroist Attacks of September 11th, 20011023 Words   |  5 Pagesmany others will forever remain written down as a historic day in not just in history but in naval and military history as well. In this essay I will first explain and describe the Pearl Harbor attack. I will do that in the perspective of a male veteran who at the time was stationed at Pearl Harbor as a U.S. Navy cadet describing the events of that topic to a news anchor for a local newspaper. I also explain what happened after the attack and explain if there was any possible way to prevent it. NextRead MoreA Look Back at 9/111307 Words   |  6 Pages9/11 One of the most known and worst events occurred on September 11, 2001. Terror attacks occurred in the United States of America in the cities of Washington D.C. and New York City. An Al-Qaeda terrorist group organized this attack by sending terrorists on four different airplanes to crash into the World Trade Center in New York City, and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, while another one was targeted for the Pentagon. Although one plane hit theRead MoreThe World Trade Towers On 9 / 11 Memorial And Museum1602 Words   |  7 PagesSeptember 9/11 Memorial and Museum The New York Times, interviewed Barbara Pickell, a sales representative who was the employed at Blue Cross Company at the World Trade Towers on 9/11, recalled that â€Å"Everybody started screaming because they could see people jumping out of the building† (â€Å"Witness to Apocalypse†). Approximately 3000 people lost their lives in the World Trade Center attacks (Templeton and Lumley). Many vanished in the debris, leaving families and friends no time to say goodbye. The 9/11 MemorialRead MoreThe Bombing Of The United States1357 Words   |  6 PagesSeptember 11,2001, it was a tragic day across the country of United States, from New York all the way too California. Everyone took one moment of silence as one whole nation that day and work was cancelled as everyone starred at Television watching the news to find out more information on what happened to their country. The attack on the U.S. changed everything from that day forward. This attack opened up new acts and chang e our national security. The American people and people in other countriesRead MoreThe September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America: The Division of Nations and Views1672 Words   |  7 PagesThe September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America divided two nations, yet knit one closer like the attacks on Pearl Harbor. There were many events that lead up to 9/11 that were only the beginning. The attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 was the finale. George Bush wrote in his diary, â€Å"The Pearl Harbor of the 21st century happened today†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (George Bush). This attack was a surprise, just like Pearl Harbor, but the U.S. reacted swiftly and effectively. The appalling events Now, more than aRead MoreThe War On Terrorism And Terrorism1231 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction: Thesis: Since the attack that started September 11, 2001, the War on Terrorism has added a sense of fear into American’s daily lives. 11 September 2001; this date will have the same mentality as 7 December 1941 for as long as history is studied. Thousands of Americans woke up that day as if it was just another Tuesday. Americans boarded flights, drove to work, and went with their lives when chaos struck. Flight 11, the airplane that hit the North Tower and Flight 175 crashed into

Saturday, December 14, 2019

American Identity Paper Free Essays

Occurred an American Is a person who doesn’t have much compared to the people in Europe. There are no kings, lords, or bishops that have all the power. In America every person works for himself and finds a way to travel to where is needed. We will write a custom essay sample on American Identity Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now Coming through America there isn’t castles or fancy mansions everywhere compared to Europe. People live in huts made out of clay and cabins where men and cattle lay to keep warm. When a person comes to America they are considered free and are able to be equal among others. There isn’t one person who is in charge like a prince or princess that controls all of the people. Every person Is able to make their own decision on whatever they choose to do In America. America Is a mixture of people with different cultures that come together as one community who do not Judge one another or look down upon. There Is no rich or poor community, every person Is considered to be equal among one another. America Is now considered the most perfect society In the world today. Living in the British Society, many people were belittled and frowned upon because they were poor or didn’t meet certain standards of others. As Occurred says, â€Å"The rich and the poor are not so far removed from each other as they are in Europe† meaning that being poor led to being a slave and lived in horrible areas. Many people that were poor didn’t want to continue living that way. There was one ruler who may have been the king, lord or bishop that was In control of everyone and told the people what to do. As man started traveling out of Europe and moved towards America, It was realized that they didn’t have to continue living the way they were. People were not being controlled In American and told what to do as In Europe. As America was being discovered the people saw what is was like to be free and equal among the other people and decided to move there. Any race or culture is accepted and will not be judged or criticized. Not one person is considered to be poor or rich and also every person was free and didn’t have to live under one person as a ruler. Every person was able to make their own decisions on what they chose to do. By libertarian’s According to Cry ©voucher an American is a person who doesn’t have much equal among others. There isn’t one person who is in charge like a prince or princess that controls all of the people. Every person is able to make their own decision on whatever they choose to do in America. America is a mixture of people with different down upon. There is no rich or poor community, every person is considered to be equal among one another. America is now considered the most perfect society in the because they were poor or didn’t meet certain standards of others. As Occurred Many people that were poor didn’t want to continue living that way. There was one ruler who may have been the king, lord or bishop that was in control of everyone and towards America, it was realized that they didn’t have to continue living the way they People were not being controlled in American and told what to do as in Europe. As and will not be Judged or criticized. Not one person is considered to be poor or rich How to cite American Identity Paper, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

Textron free essay sample

Anna Amphlett, a financial analyst at Textron Corporation, has been asked by the controller to benchmark the company’s recent financial performance against competitors in the aerospace and defense industry. Top management plans to assess the performance of the company’s supply chain and its future working capital requirements. Textron experienced impressive stock price growth in the last five years, but top management is particularly interested in understanding the company’s sizeable investments in net working capital over the same period. In benchmarking Textron’s performance, Amphlett must also consider what to do about accounting method differences across companies in the aerospace and defense industry, since they may have a significant effect on the interpretation of differences in reported performance. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Textrons Board of Directors had launched a new initiative to assess the companys supply chain and the companys working capital needs. First step was to benchmark the companys recent financial performance against other aerospace and defense firms to determine the areas in which the companys performance could be improved. Top management was particularly interested in understanding the companys sizeable investments in net working capital. COMPANY PROFILE Company History Textron started as a small textile company in 1923, when 27-year-old Royal Little founded the Special Yarns Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts. Revenues that first year were just $75,000. Today that company has grown into a highly successful multi-industry enterprise recognized for our network of powerful brands, world-class processes and talented people. The Tex was derived from textiles and the tron came from synthetics such as Lustron. The theme of the advertising reflected Littles vision: From yarn to you, its Textron all the way. Birth of a Conglomerate,Products and Business Segments In 1952, facing yet another decline in the demand for textiles, Little approached the Textron Board of Directors for approval to diversify by acquiring businesses in unrelated industries. He planned to maintain textile operations as an earnings base while acquiring non-textile businesses. Textron purchased its first non-textiles business Burkart Manufacturing Co. of St. Louis, Missouri who supplied cushioning materials to the automotive market in 1953. Littles success building a diversified company prompted other businesses to follow his model. The pace of acquisitions was great and among the more important businesses added in the early 1950s Textron Inc. is a Global Multi-Industry Company. It is a pioneer of the diversified business model. It grown into a network of businesses with total revenues of $12. 2 billion, and approximately 40,000 employees with facilities and presence in 32 countries, serving a diverse and global customer base. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, U. S. A. ,Textron is ranked as 190th from 216th in 2005 on the Fortune 500 list of largest U. S. companies. Organizationally, Textron consists of numerous subsidiaries and operating divisions and segments, which are responsible for the day-to-day operation of their business namely:(1) The Cessna segment manufactures business jets, single-engine utility turboprops, and single-engine piston aircraft, as well as parts, maintenance, inspection, and repair services. (2) The Bell segment manufactures and supplies military and commercial helicopters, tiltrotor aircraft, and related spare parts and services. (3) The Textron Systems designs, develops, installs, and provides maintenance of advanced full flight simulators; and supports aviation training products and related services. (4) The Industrial segment offers blow-molded plastic fuel systems, windshield and headlamp washer systems, engine camshafts, catalytic reduction systems, and other parts, as well as plastic bottles and containers; golf cars and professional turf-maintenance equipment, (5) The Finance segment provides commercial loans and leases for aircraft and helicopters. Textron’s Strategy Textrons Board of Directors provides strategic and management oversight as well asglobal business perspective, while upholding rigorous governing principles on behalf of the companys shareholders. Senior leaders from directors to the corporate officers share an unrelenting focus on Textrons vision to become the premier multi-industry company in the world, recognized for the network of powerful brands, world class enterprise and talented people through enterprise and portfolio management. Textron’s stock price performance Textron’s recent stock price performance was impressive with overall increase from $22 in 2001 to more than $55 in 2007 much better than SP 500. According to Cowan the estimated EPS in 2007 and 2008 of $6. 25 and $7. 30 respectively. $51. 50 is the target price per share set by Prudential. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Over the last 10 years of unimpressive growth of Textron’s sales, net income and cash flow, Anna Amphlett (financial analyst) has come up to the following problems: 1. What is Textron’s current standing in the Aerospace and Defense industry? 2. Is Textron making more money than its competitors? Is Textron’s management strategy more effective than others? 3. What might be some of the areas Textron need to improve? 4. How do different accounting methods used by companies of the same industry affect her analysis? OBJECTIVES To make a benchmark performance between the Textron and its best and immediate competitor(s) within the same industry segment (mostly Aerospace and Defense firms) by using financial ratios for the fiscal 2005 and 2006 and to compare with Textron’s. ANALYSIS Financial Ratio Benchmarking Benchmarking can be done in many ways, and ratio analysis is only one of these. One benefit of ratio analysis as a component of benchmarking is that many financial ratios are well-established calculations derived from verified data. In benchmarking as a whole, benchmarking can be done on a variety of processes, meaning that definitions may change over time within the same organization due to changes in leadership and priorities. The most useful comparisons can be made when metrics definitions are common and consistent between compared units and over time. Benchmarking using ratio analysis can be useful to various audiences. From an investor perspective, benchmarking can involve comparing a company to peer companies that can be considered alternative investment opportunities from the perspective of an investor. In this process, the investor may compare the focus company to others in the peer group (leaders, averages) on certain financial ratios relevant to those companies and the investor’s investment style. From a management perspective, benchmarking using ratio analysis may be a way for a manager to compare their company to peers using externally recognizable, quantitative data. Industry competitors General Dynamics is a market leader in business aviation; land and expeditionary combat vehicles and systems, armaments, and munitions; shipbuilding and marine systems; and mission-critical information systems and technology. Honeywell International, Inc is an American multinational conglomerate company that produces a variety of commercial and consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments. Lockheed Martin global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Lockheed Martin employs 116,000 people worldwide Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, one of four sectors within Northrop Grumman Corporation, is a premier developer, integrator, and producer of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems and advanced technologies critical to our nation’s security. From sea, air, land or space, Aerospace Systems provides solutions that advance technology and discovery while meeting customer needs with high impact, best value aerospace products and systems. The Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007. Raytheon is the worlds largest producer of guided missiles. Rockwell Collins, Inc. is a large United States-based international company headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, primarily providing avionics and information technology systems and services to governmental agencies and aircraft manufacturers. Financial Ratio Analysis In analyzing the Textron Corporation and its industry which is the aerospace and defense, we opt to performed financial benchmarking since financial ratios and as dictated by our objectives. With that we could compare and analysis financial data to assess our company’s overall competitiveness and productivity. First we identify the subject of which we need to improve or the weaknesses we choose to benchmark. The company’s unimpressive growth on sales, net income/operating margin and cash flows over ten years was what we had identified. We compared financial ratios of profitability, solvency, liquidity and activity from 2005-2006 of Textron Corporation against the industry competitors namely General Dynamics Corp. , Honeywell Int’l Inc. , Lockheed Martin Corp. , Northrop Grumman Corp. , Raytheon Co. , and Rockwell Collins Inc. against Textron Corporation. These were the result of the analysis: On the basis of gross margin and return on sales left after of cost of goods sold and operating expenses. General Dynamics Corporation had the top percentage of a 100%. Next-to-leading was Rockwell Collins Inc. followed by Textron Corporation(GMR) while Rockwell hit the top with regard to Return on sale of 12. 35%. Rockwell Collins also top the most outstanding and effective management as measured by ROE and ROA, Textron and Raytheon had the lowest percentage on ROS and ROA however Textron got the third rank next to Lockheed on accomplished ROE. In terms of liquidity Rockwell Collins had a strong level of current and quick assets while General Dynamics and Northrop is at the least. Textron also had a good s Ranking the financial leverage ratios Textron’s assets were mostly finance by long-term debt compare to other company. Notice that Rockwell Collins had the most conservative policy with regards to borrowing funds from long-term accounts. The company also had a good standing in meeting interest obligations. Textron’s can collect receivables more often than others, approximately 12 times while Raytheon can create and sold inventories 36 times in one operating period. Such companies hit the top ratio of activity measurement. On the other hand Rockwell had a rare receivable collection policy and longest times inventories were created and sold. After we had conduct comparison on the overall Aerospace and Defense Industry and determine significant areas which may affect our benchmarking analysis, we now conclude that ROCKWELL COLLINS INC. will be our basis for best practice and standard for the remaining analysis. Since Rockwell Collins profitability and management effectiveness were constant we also assume its attainment for our company. We considered to aim the highest possible stand Rockwell had currently so that if ever we failed to meet our goal or if won’t be on top we still be falling at least near to the industry’s best practice. So on the next reporting period we can define our strategies and be better that what the industry has for today. With these, we now take a closer look on the analysis between TEXTRON CORPORATION and ROCKWELL COLLINS INC. to know on more of the areas we want to improve and learn from them on how they achieve their success. BENCHMARKING: TEXTRON CORPORATION VS ROCKWELL COLLINS As pictured in the graph Rockwell had an excellent performance in terms of profitability than Textron. Rockwell’s GMR, ROS and ROA’s ratio were assumed to be the result of effective management and strategies to increase sales at maximum in the minimum cost. Although Textron gross margin ratios were closely to Rockwell’s the return on sale (ROS) bent down to 5%. This was to assume that Textron’s fixed administrative and selling expenses were higher that Rockwell. However Textron boost its return on equity (ROE) because of debts. Obtaining higher debt automatically generates an increase in the equity return. Return on asset (ROA) simply implicates how much earnings we had for every dollar sales and obviously Rockwell had a higher return on assets for it maximize the capacity of its fixed assets for a higher a sales volume. Textron showed a reliance borrowing funds from others than its shareholders in financing its operation and therefore its assets was mostly finance by creditors rather than owner. Times interest earned by Rockwell hits the highest times its earnings available could meet interest obligations against it interest obligations. These graph simply showed that Textron was under a financial leverage and such contributes a financial risk on part of Textron On the analysis liquidity analysis we look at the change in Textron’s acid test ratio and current ratio. The graph pictured out that how the company’s management strategies in handling quick asset were quite aggressive Textron’s operating cycle takes 119 days while payment period takes 114 days this means that Textron should be aware on conserving its investment on current assets. There was a delay of 5 days in paying creditors after maturity. Definitely Rockwell Inc. has the same scenario since their ratios were similarly closer to one another. In asset management analysis, day’s receivable of Textron compare to Rockwell Collins Inc. is stricter in this could be one the reason of decrease of Textron’s growth in its revenue, net sales and cash flows. We assume that Textron’s collection policy stricter than Rockwell. Rockwell’s asset was more utilized at maximum compare to Textron. However, Textron’s number of days inventory was created before sold was shorter than Rockwell which was favorable for Textron. Disclosure Incorporated with the Analysis In order to make an â€Å"apples-to-apples† comparison between the companies, appropriate adjustments to inventory and cost of sales data must be adjusted. Inventory accounting method has a direct impact on financial ratio analysis results on the reported financial measures. We do not adjust these accounts considering the other ratios may be affected and for reasons that the financial statements of competitors are not given. We wish to do common-size analysis and inventory adjustments as well if only these data limitations associated with the case would not exist. Being on the same industry Textron and Rockwell both have products of spare parts it just so happen that most of Rockwell’s revenues are coming from the sale of parts and other related services rather aircrafts which is contrary to Textron. Inventory Ratio analysis compared between Textron and Rockwell would not be adopted since Textron’s inventory days are better than Rockwell’s instead we recommend of ways on how to improve it and lower the number of days on the creation and sale of goods waiting time. In effect this would contribute to a more efficient operating cash cycle. CONCLUSION After the benchmarking performance analysis on the Aerospace and Defense Industry we could conclude that Textron Corporation’s stand on the industry was on average because Textron was not on top but it had strong positions that were better than the most among the industry. The different accounting policies that exist among different companies will not affect our benchmarking analysis as long as it conforms to the GAAP. We do not adjust the inventory and cost of sales account for it would affect the other ratio analysis since we only have limited financial information about the other company in the industry. On the other hand, proper disclosure of the effect of the differences would be appropriate as remedy for be believe that the methods use by the companies are base on the management strategies of what is better for their organizations. RECOMMENDATIONS There are areas in which Textron needs to improve like its receivable collection policy, days to sell inventories, asset utilization, conservation on current assets and debt/capital structure. With these Textron would be able to strengthen it unimpressive growth on sales, net income and cash flows. We recommend Textron to offer cash discounts for example a period of 10 days and maintain their strict credit policy collection to commercial products like spare parts, repairs and maintenance etc. Establish good creditor-debtor relationship. We are expecting that this strategy will increase sales and reduce receivable balance. Days to sell inventory should be shorten to avoid excess cost on handling inventories cost. Solvency on part of Textron must also be observed due their increasing long term debts. We also advise them to minimize borrowing of funds because this could help a business in the long run. Wise decision on borrowing long-term debts must be first considered. A heavy debt burden couples with a sudden economic downturn could put a company out of business rather quickly. Textron conservatism on current ratio be observe so that it could improve their operating cycle. Assessing the company’s overhead cost and see if there are opportunities to decrease them. Lowering overhead has a direct impact on profitability. Overhead expenses including administrative, selling, labor etc. that Textron was incur to operate the business out of direct materials and direct labors. Review the profitability on the company’s various product and services. Assess where prices can be increase on a regular basis to maintain and increase profitability. As costs increase and market change, prices may lead to be adjusted as well.