Long Project Design Essay Example

Long Project Design Essay The database will be made in Microsoft Access. The other option is to use is to use Microsoft Excel to do the database but it wouldnt allow me to do a relational database. I need a relational database so that information doesnt need to be entered over and over again like what Michael has to do at the moment. I also looked at various advantages for using Access, which Ive stated below. Furthermore, making a database will accomplish the criteria of being efficient and being able to be used over many years. To meet the needs of the user for an effective solution to his problems, I will need to make a database system that has forms, reports and queries. Additionally, I will also need to make mail merged letters for him. The forms are to solve his organisation problems and time wasting for editing, searching etc. The queries and reports are to solve his time wasting problem in finding things for himself and for customers. My solution will also have to fulfil all of Mr. Longs desires and all of the performance criteria. For my database, I will have the fields: ID, first name, surname, address, telephone number, and date of birth for the Customers table. This is so that it is clear and the different bits of information is organised. The logo will be given to me by Mr. Long. It represents the travel agency so people can easily recognise it. This is also one of the desires Michael had. Part of the performance criteria is to have 4 different tables to store information in. For the Destinations table, I will have the fields: Destination ID, Destination, Airline, and Airport. I think this is enough details for the different destinations and the only ones that are needed. For the Hotels table, I will put the fields: Hotel ID, Name, Address, and Hotel Grade. Furthermore, for the bookings table, I will put the fields: Bookings ID, Departure Date, Departure Time, Arrival Date, Arrival Time, Customer ID, Destination ID, and Hotel ID. This is because the information on customers, hotels and destinations will be linked to the bookings table through relationships. This way, the data doesnt have to be entered all the time. This is an automated process which is one of the performance criterions. The field I use will also fulfil some performance criterions. We will write a custom essay sample on Long Project Design specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Long Project Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Long Project Design specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer One of the criterions is to have tables linked so that it is a relational database. For the relationships, the customers, destinations and hotels tables will all be linked to the bookings table. The Customers ID field from the Customers table will link with the Customer ID field on the booking table. The Destination ID field on the Destinations table will link with the Destinations ID field on the Bookings table. And finally, the Hotel ID from the Hotels table will be linked to the Hotel ID in the bookings table. That performance criteria will now be achieved. For every one of the tables, a form will be made for it. This is because the user wants to be able to access data quickly and easily. By making a form, the information can be accessed, searched, edited, created and deleted easily and quickly. That desire will be achieved. Also, forms can be user friendly with the use of buttons which will make it easy to use. This was one of the desires. For all the forms, I will use the same background to give it a consistent and professional design. Michael desired this. I will also include the company logo to make the forms recognisable. The forms will display all the fields of the table so every bit of information is available for the user to see. I will also make buttons for the user to easily use to the system because it was one of the desires. This way, the user only needs to click on the buttons on the forms for their processes to be carried out. The buttons and logo will be at the same place for each of the forms. The bookings form will be a sub-form within a form. This is so that information on all of the other tables can be displayed in the bookings form. Furthermore, all of the forms can be reused by updating the information on them. By editing the information in the forms, the information in the tables will also be changed so the data will always be up to date. On all of the forms, I will have the Previous record and Next record button. This is because it will make it easier for the user to browse through the records that are there. Also, I will include the print and undo record buttons so the user can print a record and undo one at the click of a button. Furthermore, I will add save record, add record, search record, run word, run excel, close form and delete record buttons. This will save the user time because all they have to do is click the button instead of going through menus after menus. The run word and run excel button are just in case the user needs to access those programs for things such as calculating prices in excel or writing a simple letter in word. Furthermore, for the Destination form, I will also include a Print Destination Report button because Mr Long wants to be able to print a holiday list and I think the button will be able to save him time doing so. It will also solve the problem of photocopying flights to give to customers which is time consuming. Additionally, I will include a Print Hotels Report button on the Hotels form so it can be quickly printed and given to customers. I will also include Luxor Hotels, Cairo Hotels and Hong Kong Hotels buttons so that when a customer enquires about hotels in the countries that theyre interested in, the user can pull up that information with ease. The buttons themselves will open hotel queries that I will make. I will put all the buttons and logo on the forms in the same place so theres a consistent design. I will make a hotels query for each country that is on offer so that the user can quickly get hotels for a particular country rather than going through a list and picking out the relevant ones that are wanted. I will also make a customers query template because Mr Long would like to be able to enter an area and all his customers in that area will come up. I will show Mr Long how to change my template query in the user guide. Also, I will make a query template for destinations so that the user is able to find all the flights available to a particular destination. The instructions for doing this will also be in the user guide. Because Mr. Long wants to know all the customers that are born before 01/01/1955, I will make a query for customers who are born before 01/01/1955 because it needs to be known so that it can be merged with the letter Mr. Long wants to send out. All of these queries can be reused because only the criteria in the queries need to be changed. A main menu will be made where there will be buttons that, when clicked, will open the other forms. This will make my database system easier to use. The main menu will have the same background as the other forms. It will contain a Customers, Hotels, Destinations and Bookings button. I will need to add the logo in it as well. The name of the travel agency will also need to be put on so that it is easily recognised. These will fulfil some of Mr. Longs desires. To make the heading, I will use Microsoft Word. I will choose the font Palace Script MT. After that I will copy it over to paint. In paint, I will fill the surrounding with turquoise. When that is done, I will copy it over to my main menu. I am going to create forms for each of the tables. The font for my forms will need to be clear and easy to read so it will prevent Michael and his staff from reading anything wrong. Also, Ill make the database user friendly so the end user, Michael Long and his staff wouldnt have any troubles to get the hang of it. On the database, the fields must have the correct type of data. For example, the field First name must have the type of data: text. This will minimise the mistakes being entered because you wouldnt be able to put a date of birth in a first name field. The colour of the database will need to be according to the end users preference and I will make a questionnaire to find out a little more about Mr Longs preferences. For the DOB field, I will need to put a validation on it to stop the user from putting in any future dates. This will minimise incorrect data being entered. I will also add queries to allow the user to access certain information quickly as speed is highly wanted . I will also need to put a password onto the database or tell Michael how to do it himself to stop strangers from accessing the database. I need to do this because Michael requested some sort of security system. In my Analysis, I stated that my database should be able to give print outs for the customers on flights and hotels available. To do this, I will need to make reports on the destinations and hotels available so they can be printed off and given to customers. The reports will all have the same style design (corporate) to make it easily recognisable and associated with this business. I am also going to make a customers report because Mr. Long wants to be able to print a destinations, hotels and a customers list. All these reports can be reused because whenever a piece of information in changed in any of the forms or tables, the reports are automatically updated. I am going to make mail merged letters in Microsoft Word because Mr. Long wants an easier and more efficient way of sending letters. For the mail merge letters, I am going to put: Lees Holidays at the top of the letter. Then I am going to put the logo on the top left of the page. This is so that when the customers receive the letter; they will know who its from straight away. I am then going to insert the date on the right hand side so that every time the letter is needed, the date on the letter is automatically changed. This is another automated process which makes it easier for the user to use. I will also make a margin on the left, running all the way down the page. In the margin, I will have the name of the owner, the address, the telephone number and the fax number. After that, I will include the fields: Customer ID, First Name, Surname, Address, Area and Telephone using the mail merge help feature. Then I will write up the contents of the letter talking about the special offer Mr. Long is offering. At the bottom of the letter, I will put Mr. Longs signature. He requested this. The font of the letter will be Papyrus and the font size will be 10. All of this will fulfil the performance criteria for the mail merge letters. These mail merge letters are reusable because the template can be used over and over again. The query just needs to be changed and then the mail merge letters will change. I will make a first draft of the database a show it to Mr Long so he can give me some feedback about it. He will also be able to give me any preferences that he would like to have such as the layout the functions of the buttons. Why Microsoft Access is suitable for this project: Before I use Microsoft Access to actually build the tables, forms, and other objects that will make up the database, it is important to take time to design my database. Whether I am using a Microsoft Access database or a Microsoft Access project, good database design is the keystone to creating a database that does what you want it to do effectively, accurately and efficiently. In Access, I am able to: * Make queries to filter information * Make sub forms to display information in related forms * Make command buttons to link to other forms and carry out tasks for the user * Make a main menu for my travel agency database * Make validations to stop wrong DOB from being entered and to stop wrong departure date being entered Why Microsoft Word is suitable for this project: 1) Input text include fields and relevant addresses 2) Merge text from databases include information the customer requests 3) Importing and editing pictures make the letter look interesting and provide any information only pictures can give. 4) Use colour make the letter look more attractive and interesting 5) Use clip art make the letter look more professional 6) Font, font size and colour make the letter look more professional and interesting. Also, make certain important information stand out more. 7) Add borders make the letter look more professional. I will draw the design of my on forms and tables a piece of A4 paper. After I have done all this, I will test it to see if it works properly. Also, I will need to decide on the colours I will use for the database and see if the colours are acceptable to the client. The colours the client wants should be used for the background and the name of the travel agency. Testing When I have finished the database, I will carry out this test and give it to someone else to do just to double check it to see if I missed anything. I will need to check that: All the hotels, customers and destinations are correct recheck to see if there are any mistakes or missing pieces of data The validations to see if it comes up when an inappropriate date is entered enter a future date for the DOB field and see what happens, enter past date for the Departure Date field and see what happens Command buttons to see if they work properly click on each button and see if the right process is carried out The password works correctly entering the password and seeing if the database opens after All the queries give the correct results carrying out the queries myself All the results of the DOB query goes onto the mail merge letters check the query results and letters All the desires and performance criteria has been fulfilled check the performance criteria and desires and then seeing if my solution has done all of this The end user is happy with the solution asking Mr. Long User Feedback Questionnaire 1) Do you like the current colour of the database? If not, please state the colour desired. Yes No, change to _____________ 2) Is the database easy to use? Yes No 3) Are you happy with the logo and name or do you want me to change the sizes and positions? Yes, happy No, change it 4) Are you happy with the way the letter looks? Yes No 5) Would you like more buttons on the forms? Yes No 6) Are there any particular queries you would like me to make? Yes No 7) Are there any other additional things you need the database to have or do? If so, please state on the lines below. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ User Feedback: Having showed my initial design to Mr. Long and giving him my questionnaire, he has provided me with the following input to improve the design and layout, making it more user-friendly and appropriate to his needs. * Take off the current plain colour background and change it to a photo * Change it to a nice photo that is blue because his favourite colour is blue * Make the logo bigger on the forms and put it at the bottom of the forms * Make more buttons on the forms to make it even easier to use * Stretch out the bookings sub-form a bit more so he doesnt need to scroll much

Globalisation Impacts on International Business

Globalisation Impacts on International Business Introduction Globalisation has been seen as an opportunity for international business. Indeed, it has become part and parcel of international business that influences the movement of goods and services and the nature of trade patterns. Globalisation has been associated with the expansion of international business in various regions around the world.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation Impacts on International Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International business relies on globalisation to bring together different cultures, markets, political settings, economic structures, and social elements (Shoham 2011). Despite these benefits, globalisation has serious effects on international business, which outweigh its positive impacts. Globalisation and International Business An assessment of the effects of globalisation on international business has mainly focused on its positive impacts. As such, globali sation has been attributed to expansion and growth of the global economy. Trade between nations relies on globalisation to foster international elements of business, such as foreign direct investment. The investment opens business opportunities in various countries across the world. It also plays an important role in removing the trade barriers, such as tariffs on imports and exports (Joshi 2009). Foreign investment provides marketing opportunities for multinational corporations. Another benefit of globalisation is that it increases consumer’s income by enabling multinational corporations to increase the wage earnings and salaries of different people employed by the firms (Daly 2001). Globalisation also increases the investment opportunities for investors and business entrepreneurs around the world. Due to globalisation, business entities develop new products to serve new market segments in various countries across the world. Businesses also develop new products to diversify their product lines and serve more consumers in various market segments. Development of new products has also enabled the consumers to access a wide range of goods and services. Consumers who buy goods from international markets are able to purchase their goods from more than one vendor (Meredith 2000). Introduction of new technologies is another factor that has greatly contributed to the positive assessment of globalisation in international business. Organisations in the global arena are exposed to new technologies that are developed by different industries.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Such technologies enable organisations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. For instance, a business organisation can use new technology to enhance the production process and ensure cost reduction for competitive advantage. The use of technology in production processes is also important in ensuring economies of scale (Sullivan, 2002). Another positive aspect of globalisation is increased performance of local and international companies due to competition. Globalisation increases competition between firms, thereby increasing business efficiency. Companies trading in international arena develop products that are of high quality with superior features and performance. Consequently, such initiatives play an important role in attracting more customers and enable an organisation to improve its business processes. Globalisation provides an opportunity for international companies to identify unique points of competition, which can be used in developing products that meet the needs and expectations of the consumers in the market (Daniels, Radebaugh Sullivan 2007). Threats of Globalisation Many people tend to overlook the threats of globalisation international business. Globalisation has been associated with the collapse of the various domestic companies. It has also been attributed to the deterioration of business culture in various regions across the world. In other cases, globalisation has been associated with rising levels of insecurity all over the globe. For instance, issues, such as terrorism and marine piracy, are subsequent effects of globalisation on international business. It is, therefore, cardinal to highlight the specific threats of globalisation on international business (Clark 1997). The threats outlined are as follows. Unfair Competition Unfair competition remains the key threat that affects international business. Many organisations have been phased out of the global market due to intense competition from various companies. Globalisation promotes unfair competition by enabling multinational companies from developed countries to take advantage of the business opportunities in the industry. Companies from developed countries have efficient technological tools and effective business strategies, whi ch are used to exploit the resources in the business environment. To this end, globalisation promotes the development of well-established companies at the expenses of the less developed organisations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Globalisation Impacts on International Business specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More International companies strive to increase their market share in the emerging markets by offering high quality goods at low prices, hence killing domestic businesses (Daly 2001). Globalisation also promotes unfair competition through trade policies established by the government of a given country. For instance, in most countries across the word, the government tends to promote the development of local companies. The government provides subsidies and trade incentives to foster the development of domestic companies. Incentives may include tax exemptions and reduced energy cost. International companies in such countries may be forced to pay higher taxes as compared to the domestic organisations in the same country. Trade policies on imports and exports also encourage unfair competition in international trade. Governments and trade entities in different regions around the world have developed trade policies, which are meant to promote the development of domestic trade. For instance, some governments facilitate the promotion of export trade by reducing the trade barriers and tariffs on exports. Such initiatives hinder the free movement of goods in the global market. On the other hand, a country that promotes the trade on imports may promote the development of international companies at the expense of the local based organisation. A country that has adopted such an approach tends to foster mobility of international factors of production, such as labour and capital. Economic development in such countries may be slow due to high levels of unemployment (Sullivan, 2002). Effects of Free Trade on Emerging Businesses Businesses emerging in developing countries are at greater risk of failing due to the development of free trade, which is fostered by globalisation. Globalisation has exposed emerging businesses in developing countries to unfair trade practices and policies that are promoted by free trade. For example, tariff protection policies instituted by developed countries tend to open business opportunities for multinational businesses in developed countries. Most developing countries are mainly importers of the goods that are manufactured by the companies in the developed countries.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, the companies in developing countries focus on the production of agricultural and food products that are less competitive compared to the machines and electronics that are manufactured in the developed states. Moreover, the goods manufactured by the developed countries are not exposed to regulative measures compared to the goods manufactured in those regions. Agricultural goods are regarded as very sensitive and attract low prices as compared to machines and electronics (Daniels, Radebaugh Sullivan 2007). Interference with Cultural Diversity Despite the unanimous positive assessment that globalisation promotes cultural diversity, many people tend to overlook the threats that globalisation imposes on cultural diversity. Globalisation has been associated with dominance of strong cultures over the other. Trade cultures have been found to be influential in determining the development and growth of international trade around the world. For instance, there is belief th at globalisation has greatly contributed to the spread of the western culture across the world. The western culture has been discovered to determine the specific elements of business, such as consumer behaviour and consumption patterns. The dominance of the western culture has led to the decline of business opportunities. As such, international marketers have not been able to identify diverse elements of various cultures, which can be used to develop different products to serve diverse consumer needs (Clark 1997). Disparities in consumer characteristics are very important in diversification and development of new markets. The differences between the consumers transcend from their cultural backgrounds. The western culture has dominated other cultures around the world, hence interfering with the development of new business opportunities. For instance, in the contemporary society, most consumers tend to imitate the western culture on different aspects, such as fashion, lifestyle, and s ocial groupings (Satya 1997). Global cultural unity among the consumers around the world interferes with the cultural heritage of various people. Cultural heritage determines how various people correspond to issues, such as marketing campaigns and products features. Globalisation also increases the gap between the rich and the poor. For instance, when a multinational corporation shifts its operations from a country where the cost of labour is high to a region where the cost of labour is low, the organisation increases the income in the latter state. At the same, the company increases the gap between the rich and the poor in the former country due to increased rate of unemployment and income. The disparities between the rich and the poor in the economy also lead to purchasing power, hence affecting the pace of growth. Environmental Effects Another threat of globalisation on international business is environmental effects. Globalisation is one of the key factors that have been associa ted with degradation of the natural environment around the world. The emergence and spread of new technologies around the world have led to increased utilisation of non-renewable resources. Manufacturing companies around the world use natural resources that are extracted from the environment. The exploitation of such resources leads to environmental pollution and global warming. In other cases, multinational companies tend to take advantage of the loopholes in environmental laws. For instance, business organisations from the developed countries tend to take advantage of the less strict environmental policies in the developing countries. Effects of environmental degradation such as global warming and the depletion of natural resources have been on the verge of increase due to globalisation. Companies from the transportation industry, construction sector, mining industry, and the energy sector have been forced to increase their production activities due to increased demand in the glob al market. The results of such activities lead to increased environmental costs to the businesses, members of the society, and the government. In this regard, globalisation not only interferes with the sustainability and growth of businesses, but also hinders the development of the world (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, Perraton 1999). Labour Drain Despite the fact that globalisation fosters labour mobility around the world, it greatly contributes to labour drain the labour market. Labour drain is one of the factors that contribute to unfair competition in international business. Organisations, which have the capability to attract and retain highly skilled labour, are better placed to compete in the global market. Such organisation offer good pay packages to their employees in order to retain them and attract qualified experts from the market. On other hand, developed countries have been found to attract well trained workers from the developing countries due to good working and living con ditions in such countries. Labour drain is therefore another key threat on the development of international business. Labour drain also leads to unemployment in some countries. For instance, the importation of cheap labour by multinational corporations from developing countries has been blamed for increasing level of unemployment in developed countries. Labour mobility from one country to another also affects the factors in the labour market. Excess supply of labour in the international labour has been associated with decline in wage rates around the world. Labour demand and supply also impact on the workforce planning strategies employed by organisation. The free movement of labour in the global economy has also weakened the labour sector in various parts of the world. Globalisation has had a negative influence on the labour unions by denying them the opportunity to protect workers’ rights. In other cases, globalisation has introduced confusion in labour laws due to the disp arities in provisions of the labour laws used in different countries across the world. For example, ILO promotes uniform working hours of 40 hours per week, while labour entities in developing countries tend to promote 45 hours per week with low wage rates as compared to the developed countries (Sullivan, 2002). Tax Avoidance and Tax Competition Higher taxes imposed by the governments of various countries around the world have forced organisations in international business to employ tax avoidance and tax competition strategies. Such a move leads to unfair competition between the various companies. For instance, some international organisations establish their businesses where the governments charge low tax rates. The companies also channel their returns through such countries. This practice has been manifested by multinational companies, such as Google and Facebook. The situation is best manifested by Google, which has been very competitive in the international market as compared to rivals, such as Yahoo and other online organisations. Amazon has also employed the same strategies establishing its offices in countries like Luxembourg and Bermuda. Tax avoidance and competition tactics do not only hinder the growth of the local based companies, but also interfere with the development of international organisations. On the other hand, some countries lower corporation taxes for international companies to ensure increased level of capital mobility. Reduced corporation tax may increase the rate of investment in a country. However, it reduces the level of tax income earned by the government. Risk of Foreign Exchange Fluctuations Another key threat that affects the development of international trade due to globalisation is fluctuations in foreign exchange rate. Globalisation exposes businesses to the risk of foreign exchange fluctuations, which affect profitability and growth of such companies. International organisations mainly trade in foreign currencies. For instanc e, the sales and procurement of different items are conducted in foreign currency, which affects the sales revenues and procurement cost incurred by an organisation. A business organisation in a foreign country may experience great losses when translating its profits from a foreign currency to a local one. High translation costs may reduce the level of profits that are earned by an organisation. On the other hand, during procurement, an organisation has to convert its local currency to a foreign currency that is accepted by the vendor. Translation cost may therefore increase the cost of procurement, hence increasing the cost of operation and production. Fluctuations in foreign exchange rate are the key threats to international business. It reduces the level of profitability and raises the cost of doing business globally. The general economic conditions in the global arena also affect the development of international business. In the year 2008, multinational corporations from develop ed countries were greatly affected by global financial and economic crisis (Clark 1997). Economic and financial factors, such as interest rate, inflation, and volatility of shares in the share market, have serious effects on international organisations due to unpredictable changes in the global economy. Higher interest rates in international markets raise the cost of capital acquisition and reduce the pace of trade development. On the other hand, volatility of shares in the stock market also interferes with the profits earned by businesses in the financial sector (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, Perraton 1999). Security Issues Security factors are also some of the major threats that affect international companies, which stem from globalisation. Despite the fact the globalisation exposes a business to lucrative business opportunities; it also creates avenues of insecurity, which greatly influence the performance and the growth of international business. One of the most common insecurity fa ctors in global trade is terrorism. There is an increase in the number of terrorist activities because of free movement of goods and people around the world. Terrorists around the world target at developed nations that promote international trade. Marine piracy has also increased following the increase in shipping activities all over the globe. Another element of security that affects international business touches on data security (Sullivan, 2002). Increasing on the use of computers and Internet is the major cause of data insecurity in global trade. Internet technology creates a framework where various businesses interact to exchange data and ideas for business facilitation. However, such interactions expose the organisations in international trade to security risk factors, such as fraud, identity theft, and scams. Online fraud is one of the common threats that affect online transactions, such as payment and receipt of goods. Security threats may therefore lead to the loss of finan cial resources and important data in an organisation (Tabb 2002). Political Risks Globalisation also exposes international business to political risk factors which greatly influence the performance of a business. Such factors as political instability, laws, rules and regulations in different countries expose a business to various risks (Held, McGrew, Goldblatt, Perraton 1999). Political instability in a country creates disturbances in the business environment where market factors, such as demand and supply, are greatly affected. Moreover, rules and regulations imposed on various businesses and industries in a country also affect the performance of an international business (Sullivan, 2002). For instance, regulations governing licensing and registration of businesses determine the pace of trade development in a country. Based on these factors, it is therefore important to acknowledge that globalisation is a clear threat to international business (Meredith 2000). Reference List Clark , I 1997, Globalization and fragmentation: international relations in the twentieth century, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Daly, H 2001, ‘Globalization and Its Discontents,’ Philosophy and Public Policy Quarterly, vol. 21 no. 2/3, pp.17-21. Web. Daniels, J Radebaugh, L Sullivan, D 2007, International business: environment and operations, Prentice Hall, London. Held, D, McGrew, A, Goldblatt, D, Perraton, J 1999, Global transformations: politics, economics and culture, Polity Press, Cambridge. Joshi, RM 2009, International business, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Meredith, M 2000, ‘Doing business internationally: an annotated bibliography’, Reference Services Review, vol. 28. no. 3, pp.223-239. Satya, DG 1997, The political economy of globalization, Zed Books, Boston. Shoham, A 2011, ‘The global recession issue: Introduction- Part I,’ Thunderbird International Business Review, vol. 53. no. 2, pp. 109-113. Sullivan, JJ 2002, The future of c orporate globalization: from the extended order to the global village, Quorum Books, New York. Tabb, WK 2002, Unequal partners: a primer on globalization, New Press, New York.

Reading questions on environmental law article Essay

Reading questions on environmental law article - Essay Example People thought the animal would be made extinct unless the hunt was regulated. Many proponents of the idea of banning the whale hunt point out that the when the hunt was unregulated, several species of whales were made extinct by over-hunting. They say that we have forever lost a number of animals that were unique in their biodiversity. They point out the same thing would happen if the hunt was made legal in certain areas again. However, the damage done to whale stocks occurred almost entirely before the advent of the International Whaling Commission. That is to say, that whale stocks were depleted in the days before there was any real regulation whatsoever and that the current system is quite sustainable. Also very few of the species that animal-rights activists claim are endangered actually are. The numbers are very unclear. Few people no the real dimensions of the whale population today. There is no clear-cut evidence that a regulated return to the whale hunt by countries that currently ban it would have a devastating impact on whale stocks. And without thi s evidence it is hard to suggest that continuing the whale hunt would be a negative thing. Many of the other arguments made by whaling conservationists are similarly flimsy. While few would argue that the methods for hunting are especially humane—for example the use of the exploding harpoon is a bit cruel—these things can easily be improved and suffering can be reduced. Just as in Canada, Canadian sealers must use more humane methods, so can whalers stop exploding whales and instead start killing them more humanely. No one is arguing for a completely unregulated hunt—that is a red herring. The animal rights activists have created a false dichotomy. It is part of rhetoric trick on their part when they argue that to hunt whales means to have no rules whatsoever. A properly regulated hunt can reduce the suffering of whales and bring rogue, illegal hunters (who are inclined to use cruel