Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Shopping Addiction Essay - 1765 Words

What Shopping Can Lead To What is shopping? Is shopping something we do for fun, for fashion, or to make us happy? Is shopping in our culture? Is shopping something we have learned from our parents, growing up? Shopping can be defined in many ways, but when does shopping become a problem? In â€Å"Shopping Spree, or Addiction† by Heather Hatfield, MD, she says â€Å"shopping can be one of America’s favorite past-times, but shopping can also lead to a self-destructive addiction that will cause financial disaster (1-2).† I’ll be going over two main factors, credit cards and the mall environment, that cause a shopping addiction, along with the type of illness, depression, that also causes a shopping addiction. I’ll also talk about the treatment†¦show more content†¦Take BMW for instance, their slogan is â€Å"The Ultimate Driving Machine.† This slogan tricks people into thinking that if they don’t own a BMW then whatever car they do own is not good enou gh. Other catchy slogans include Levi jeans, â€Å"You Walk a Little Taller in Levis† or Visa â€Å"Everywhere You Want to be.† Companies use these tactics to persuade people to spend and spend and spend, attracting the shopalcholics until individuals can’t spend any more. Nine million people in America suffer from shopoholism, and it’s more common in women. There have been studies conducted to see if addictions are genetic. â€Å"About 10%-15% may have a genetic predisposition to an addictive behavior† says Ruth Engs, MD (quoted in Hatifield 1). As reported by Dr. Adrienne Backer â€Å"There is a strong link between compulsive shopping and an inadequate maternal relationship (quoted in Futrelle).† Frequently the mother was depressed or absent emotionally causing the daughter to develop a low self-esteem, resulting in the daughter turning to shopping to feel happy (Futrelle). In reality people who have a shopping addiction are covering up a low self-esteem. Dr. Louise Chang who is a physician at Grady Memorial hospital states that the endorphins, dopamine, and naturally occurring opiate receptors get switched on in the brain, and people will feel a high that makes them feel good about themselves for that short amount of time while shopping. The causes of addictions and why addicts will continueShow MoreRelatedEssay about Effects of Shopping Addiction915 Words   |  4 PagesEffects of Shopping Addiction Shopping is a necessary part of life. We shop for food, clothing, cars, homes, or anything that may be a necessity to survive. If shopping is necessary, how can it also be an addiction? The answer is the same as with other addictions. According to Wikipedia, addiction is the continued use of a mood altering substance or behavior despite adverse dependency consequences or a neurological impairment leading to such behaviors. Oniomania, which is a Greek word meaning forRead MoreShopping Addiction Essay759 Words   |  4 PagesShopping addiction has been around for over 100 years. It plays major roles in many people lives today. Although we have learned more about the addiction not much has evolved or even changed about the disease or disorder that we know as a shopping addiction. Most of the people that suffer from this end up being normal everyday people just as you and I. This topic has evolved very little throughout the starting years in which it was presented. When the addiction first came to notice about a decadeRead MoreShopping Addiction Essay796 Words   |  4 Pages Shopping and buying have become an addiction, to consume increasingly of what is not needed. Consumers are compelled to shop and purchase items that are, for a brief time, marketed at a discounted rate. The impulse to invest time and energy on products that a person does not really need at the time, solely based on a mesmerizing discounted offer, has become distressing. The tempting offers have grown since consumers have been offered an extended opportunity to shop. Advertisements announceRead More Addiction and Compulsive Buying Disorder (CBD) Essay1377 Words   |  6 PagesShopping is stereotypically a pastime many women love. In the Lockhorn comic strip husband Leroy often laments about his wife Loretta’s cooking, looks, and excessive shopping. In one strip Loretta is shown carrying several bags of items with the caption by creator Hoest, (n.d.) â€Å"you knew I had no sales resistance when I married you.† Many can joke about their love of shopping but for some it is a serious problem. People will argue that compulsive shopping is a weakness. Others feel that the ideaRead MoreThe Problem Of Addiction And Addiction1387 Words   |  6 Pagestime to yourself. Shopping is always an enjoyable experience, it gives you the chance to relax and not worry about your issues. Once you realized that you maxed out your credit card on the different stuff you bought while shopping, it makes you think that you might have an addiction. The feeling of always wanting more just to be satisfied. Addiction is the result of a person who is consumed by a substance involved in an activity that is pleasurable. Drinking and shopping are two types of severeRead MoreIs Internet Addiction Disorder? Essay1483 Words   |  6 Pages Internet addiction disorder, more commonly called problematic Internet use, refers to excessive computer use which interferes with daily life. Internet overuse, problematic computer use, or pathological computer use, problematic Internet use, or Internet addiction disorder. In the most recent version of the DSM-5, Internet Gaming Disorder is the latest term to describe this problem. History IAD was originally proposed as a disorder in a satirical hoax by Ivan Goldberg, M.D., in 1995, althoughRead MoreThe New Problem of Internet Addiction764 Words   |  3 Pagesdemise of postal services (Harris, 2007). This essay will argue that one concern for users of the internet is addiction, as millions of users become consumed in the habit, with severe cases of internet addiction resulting in death and violence. Internet addiction is a habit addiction, rather than a form of substance abuse. According to Kimberley Young it is â€Å"the world’s fastest growing addiction† (2009, p 2). Perhaps the reason for this is due to the many ways in which the internet can be used and howRead MoreInternet Addiction And Its Negative Impact1002 Words   |  5 PagesThe Buzz about Internet Addiction and its Negative Impact Meta Description: The internet connects millions of people, providing information, entertainment and communication platform. HealthyHow2 is a leading resource for well-researched medical information. Internet Addiction The internet has become an integral component of our life, and this has greatly transformed the way we access information, communicate and do our work. Added to this fact, the internet is widely available in people’s homesRead MoreIntroduction to Internet Addiction978 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction to Internet Addiction Ten years ago, the only people who spent a majority of their leisure time on the computer were paid members of the technology industry. Today, however, surfing the Web has become a pastime as social and marketable as bar hopping or going to the movies. As the web has become a part of mainstream life, some mental health professionals have noted that a percentage of people using the web do so in a compulsive and out-of-control manner. In one extreme (1997)  CincinnatiRead MoreTopshop Case Study2631 Words   |  11 Pageskey vision is to make buying at Topshop a complete experience and Topshop have succeeded in this with their flagship store in Oxford Street. No other high street retailer has ever put this into practice. The store offers an indulgent but youthful shopping experience with extra services such as the nail bar and cafà ©, blow dry bar, state of the art visuals which allows them to hold fashion shows and exhibitions in-store. A Free Personal style advisor in the luxury V IP changing areas are on hand to give

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Business Models Strategy and Innovation Services

Question: Discuss about the Business Models Strategy and Innovation Services. Answer: Introduction: Technological changes in the business world have increased at a higher rate. The changes are as a result of intense competition which has made the entrepreneurs more creative and innovative in an attempt to attract more customers. Unique services and products have a tendency of attracting the consumers to try or buy them. Competition is something that businesses cannot avoid, and therefore they must come up with strategies to remedy the situation. Some of the strategies include foreign trade where the company attempt to start a business in foreign countries with the aim of getting more customers for its goods and services. Globalization is a fundamental element of sales in the current world, and it is motivated by the better methods of transport and communication (Teece, D. J. (2010, pp. 172-194). Oz supermarket a new supply chain in the market has employed significant innovations. According to Michael Porter, new market entrants have the responsibility to bring new unique products to get customers. The firms beginning business faces high competition from the real company, and therefore there is the need to do thing better and in unique ways to enable the customers to notice their efforts. The new market entrance has high risks, and only optimistic managers can take it as the probability of failure is very high for the firms. However, there is the need for the managers to do adequate research about the market environment and be able to come up with the best penetration strategy. A good penetration strategy ensures that the company with have a competitive edge over the other competitors. The Oz Supermarket plan is magnificent at it aims at making the shopping of customers comfortable and convenient. The Pay Wave technology they have adopted makes customers spend less time in th eir shopping as everything is done using the card. These give the firm an advantage as all clients always look for ways to get their goods easily and at minimal time spent. The customers do not have to stand in long queues waiting to be served by the cashier in the supermarket and just picks goods and exits the store as all the transaction have been made for him/ her through the computerized systems (Porter, M. E. (2008, pp. 25-40). The method used by the company as advantages as it is time-saving for the customers who spent small time in buying their desired products. It also cuts costs of the management as it needs very few employees to run. It is secure as the card identifies the customer and any problems he can be traced. However, the system may lead to impulse buying among the customers as cards are tempting always to buy more. The system also needs continuous monitoring to ensure that it does not fail and inconvenience business. Through this method, the company is assured of high sales as customers use cards to do purchase. Finally, this is a good market entrance strategy by the Oz supermarket, and the sales will be high. The services are unique and very convenient for the customers as they are no many procedures to be followed. The company, however, should seek to improve the systems further. The customers have to put the items in the trolleys for the items to be counted if the customer removes it is deleted. A concern arises if the customer does not put goods in the trolley what will happen? Does this mean the customers won't be charged for the item as the item only detects goods in the trolley? The system has challenges, but there is a need for fewer changes. New customers may be resistance to the idea of getting the cards when doing shopping. This act limits the number of people who can access its services since a pay wave card is a must for purchase. Despite the few challenges the company strategy is magnificent and needs significant supervision by the managers to see its success. The manager also needs to see the need to stock a large variety of products in the supermarket to make customers be able to get all the products they need under one roof. These would mean more sales for the business and thus high-profit margin. The company, however, needs to create awareness to the potential customers about its existence and products it offers to get a large customer base. Technology in the Oz supermarket is used to create the uniqueness of the business. The new trend of shopping by customers will attract them to experience it thus create a market for the company products. Managers must ensure that they use technology, creativity, and innovations to have a competitive advantage in the market (Mintzberg, 2009). The customers are the people who ensure business continuity through the buying of its products. They are always attracted to better goods and services. It is the responsibility of any organization to put a priority in catering the needs of its customer. Satisfaction of the customers will always ensure that the customers return for more goods and also recommend the business to other people. Through this act, the steady customer base will increase resulting in high profits for the company. Customers are key stakeholders to the success of the business. Technology has brought new ways of the enterprise to ensure satisfaction of their clients. Managers, therefore, have the duty to carry out continuous market research to be able to know what changes have emerged. Businesses to achieve the competitive edge must conform to the methods of operation to enable products unique and of high quality (Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., Gremler, D. D. (2012). The services that customers get from any company determine whether they will come back for more. When the products meet their expectations is a guarantee for them to return. Managers should work towards surpassing the customers' expectations by providing products of excellent quality. Through this, the client loyalty will grow. Achievement of customer needs entails ability for them to access the goods fast in the stores. Having Convenient means of payment by the customers either through cash or credit card. Less time used in the queues waiting to pay. Customers are always in a hurry and bring the need for businesses to cater to this need. Managers have an obligation to ensure those clients can locate and pay for their goods in the shortest time possible. The Oz supermarket has put this into consideration, and it will expect more customer as the purchasing system is automatic no queues or questions to the customers. The supermarket can also increase the client services to enhance their purchase through the following ways. Complaints from the customers must be handled with priority to avoid dissatisfaction. These can reduce the numbers of the customers if not taken into consideration. The company also can ensure that it stocks all the products and this will enable the customers to get everything they desire at the supermarket. The supermarket can also increase the platform to be used by the customers to pay for the product to either using mobile phones or advance payments. These will ensure that more people will be attracted to buy. Customers are always invited to free thing, the company, therefore, should offer discounts to the customers after purchase, and these will motivate them to buy more products. The customers can be provided after-sale services by the company such as transport services, installation, etc. these will make the customers have an easy way of knowing how to use the purchased products like televisions sets, fridges, etc.( Bodet, G. (2008, pp. 156-162). The company has done well in the areas of customer services by providing a fast platform for them to do shopping. Since the company is new in the market, this strategy ensures that it gets more customers because of their better services. The management should look for more means of making the customer happy. Satisfaction of the needs of the client is the goal for all the organizations. Feedback systems enable the company knows how it is performing and the changes that are necessary to ensure good performance in the market. The Oz supermarket should reply to the complaints or information they get from the customers. Feedback makes customers fee sense of belonging to the company and appreciated. Quality and quantity are the main aspects that the clients will look for the goods they get from businesses. The supply chain should offer the best quality products which have the ability to attract more customers. Prices of the items in the supermarket should also at fair prices not offered at extremely high prices as they may scare away potential customers. Oz supermarket has employed good strategy but should ensure the commodities it provides the customers satisfy their needs. The managers should research more on customers' needs to meet them. As a new firm in the market competition will be high and the risk of failure. The managers have the duty to put up risk management strategies which will enable it to survive in the market. The managers can engage in diversification and also open new branches in different segments. The marketing of the firm must be high to create awareness among the customers who may not be aware of its existence in the market. The supermarket management must always look for more improvements to ensure better services to the customers (Huang, W. H. (2008, pp. 521-536). References Bodet, G. (2008). Customer satisfaction and loyalty in service: Two concepts, four constructs, several relationships. Journal of retailing and consumer services, 15(3), 156-162. Huang, W. H. (2008). The impact of other-customer failure on service satisfaction. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 19(4), 521-536. Mintzberg, H. (2009). Managing. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Porter, M. E. (2008). The five competitive forces that shape strategy. Harvard business review, 86(1), 25-40. Teece, D. J. (2010). Business models, business strategy and innovation. Long range planning, 43(2), 172-194. Wilson, A., Zeithaml, V. A., Bitner, M. J., Gremler, D. D. (2012). Services marketing: Integrating customer focus across the firm. McGraw Hill.

Sunday, April 26, 2020

The Never Before Told Story About Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 You Need to Read

The Never Before Told Story About Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 You Need to Read Introducing Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 After discovering our website, you will no longer will need to bother friends and family with these kinds of requests. Really, for almost all of us it doesn't really matter in addition to the standard and services information provided via the webhost is a good deal more important. If you're creating a database driven site you should be cautious. Our customer support will gladly tell you whether there are any special offers at the present time, along with make sure you are getting the very best service our business can deliver. New Questions About Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 Perhaps the most significant thing which you must not forget is that you're required to compose an essay instead of simply to describe something. When it has to do with picking a topic, don't be fearful of the ones that sound generic, as you can use creativity to bring it to life. It's a creative bit of writing one which enables you to concentrate on something unique or inspirational. So you should make certain that everything is at the most suitable place in the essay. Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 Options For starters, you have to consider the topic that you will describe through your essay. It is possible to also read your essay to other folks to receive their feedback. You may not only get the normal essay writing help, but they also give valuable editing support because most of them are accomplished essay editors and proofreaders too. Though, there are specific patterns that you are going to follow when you compose a descriptive essay. Whether you're writing a descriptive essay or you're working on a narrative essay, you want to make an initial draft of your intended content, before you may begin writing the last document. Be attentive to the size it must be and get started writing the narrative essay outline. In this kind of writing, a thesis statement acts as a guide for the remainder of essay. You might get hungry for pizza now, but you are in possession of a vivid illustration of the way to compose a descriptive essay. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 It could appear a tough job, but should you stick to this guide, you'll have a chance to compose an original paper. Thus, start practicing and develop your skills since there isn't any alternate to hard work. Plus, it's also rather easy to deliver in the front of the class. You should have your reasons, and our primary concern is that you find yourself getting a great grade. Well, drafting a descriptive essay might not be a simple feat to accomplish. Becoming creative and descriptive can on occasion be a challenge. You may even find someone whose writing skills you discover the very best in this area and request their advice. As a result of this there are going to be more writing assignments and a closer attention to the caliber of the writing. Choosing Good Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 10 A decent descriptive paragraph is similar to a window into another world. There are people on the internet which are able to supply you with a helping hand when it has to do with writing a descriptive essay. Bear in mind, the topic does play an important part in grabbing the interest of the reader, but it's the content that produces the reader stick to the essay till the end. To begin gambling now, just click on a website or an arrow below! Firstly, you have to evaluate whether the narrative is unfolding the essay in a manner that the readers can apprecia te. 30 write excellent narratives, 2017. That is a significant notion to comprehend. The topics are abstract because thus you might be able to locate your own approach better. Don't forget to apply a specific approach to the specific sort of a descriptive essay topic. Generally the toughest characteristic of developing a descriptive essay is picking the topic. The primary aim of this kind of essay is to produce a vivid experience for the reader and provide them a more in-depth comprehension of the essay's subject. The primary aim of a descriptive essay is to permit the reading audience understand and visualize the particular thing by improving the overall understanding of the topic. Provide a comprehensive description of all of the characteristics. The absolute most difficult and important part of essay writing is choosing the suitable topic'. The structure of such essay is based on the topic. The main reason why a lot of students opt to tackle descriptive essay topics is because they are simple to handle. Many times they choose a difficult topic for which they need to conduct a lot of research which however makes essay writing difficult.

How to Find a Good Topic For a Term Paper

How to Find a Good Topic For a Term PaperHow can a good topic for a term paper to be so elusive? Is it really just difficult to come up with something that really catches someone's interest? I don't think so, and I'm going to show you how to make sure that you don't get stuck with an uninteresting subject. That will help you ensure that you write your paper at the right level.I always suggest that you start by picking your main subject. Pick something that you have knowledge of and experience in. It can be something as simple as what you like to do for fun. Maybe, you like gardening or fishing. Even something like going to the theatre can be something that you enjoy.Once you have decided on what you want to write about, start researching how that topic is used. Don't just pick one aspect of the topic, but look at the entire field and figure out if there is anything that you have learned over the years that applies to your topic. This should not be something that you have picked out r andomly, but rather, something that has been shaped and adapted by you.It also helps to know how much time you have available. If you have a lot of free time on your hands, then you can research how that time can be better spent. What if you only have time to spend about five minutes a day on this research? That could be enough to cover all the information that you need to include. Consider setting aside two hours a week so that you can dedicate to this aspect of your paper.There are other aspects that you can take into consideration as well. Have you ever watched the same film more than once? How about listening to the same music? Are you one of those people who get bored after listening to the same thing for an hour or two? These things can serve as examples of how different topics are used in different situations.For example, if you're looking for ideas about finding out more about a certain subject, try to find some places that have a unique perspective. This may mean looking at movies that show another point of view. It may also mean interviewing other people who have had a similar experience. This way, you can see how someone else might use their information to come up with something that makes sense.By using these tips, you should be able to come up with an interesting topic for your paper. Then, you can really make it shine with some hard work and dedication.

Now that you know how to write a college essay abstract, be sure to do this correctly. After all, it is your future in their hands.

Now that you know how to write a college essay abstract, be sure to do this correctly. After all, it is your future in their hands. So, make sure you use this valuable guide to help you write a good essay. College Essay Abstract - How to Write a College Essay AbstractWriting a college essay abstract is not as easy as you may think. You will need to have a good outline and very clear writing skills.The college essay abstract is usually very important for the admissions committee and it can be a big decision on your future. Here are some tips to help you out:The first tip for writing an essay is that you need to have an outline and a good plan. So, what should you write about? It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you would like to say and where you would like to place the information.You should have a rough draft before you begin writing your college essay abstract. Most college essays are 500 words long, so be sure to get a good idea of what the college is looking for. You can use a word processor to take a look at the college essays that you might like to submit to them.Research everything before you start writing. You need to know about the school's mission and the curriculum, and find out what the criteria is for writing a specific college essay.Make a short paragraph and use your big ideas to pull the entire essay together. Remember, college essay abstracts are meant to be five pages long. So, you want to make sure that you have a good story to tell.

Museum Review Essay Sample

Museum Review Essay SampleA museum review essay is a broad term, and the vast majority of the world's museums don't use the word in their purpose. When you do write one, you're usually writing about a particular project you have undertaken, or about an aspect of a particular field, or you're writing to improve a particular aspect of your work, or something like that. As a result, it's not particularly easy to narrow it down to something specific.For this reason, there are many books on the subject, but a few of them will give you some ideas about how to write a museum review essay. I would recommend you get something by Naomi Schaefer Riley, A Short Guide to Writing a Museum Review, especially if you're trying to submit it to a magazine. Her concept of an essay focuses on writing as a process rather than as a finished product, and she has the good sense to be able to make this really clear. You can also get her books on exhibition design, for those with particular interests in this a rea.If you're writing an essay that's really about a particular museum, there are two things you need to keep in mind. First, the different museums you want to mention them in the order you want them mentioned and second, the different aspects of the museums you want to concentrate on in your essay.First, if you're writing about a particular museum, then you should know the name of the museum. For example, if you're writing about the Museum of Modern Art, you should know its location, its history, and probably the artist you like best (the museum also has a website with more information).Secondly, if you're writing an essay about a particular aspect of a museum, then you should focus on that aspect. For example, if you want to talk about the architectural style of a particular museum, then go to the place, find out the style, and then bring all this into your essay.It's really up to you to decide which aspect of a museum you want to focus on. And sometimes, the style can serve as a preview of the rest of the essay, so just knowing the name of the museum, if you like, might not be enough.As you can see, there's a lot to a museum review essay, and these two points are just some of the main ones. You may have other suggestions for particular ideas. Just check out Naomi Schaefer Riley's books, and see if they might be of help.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Steel Pan History free essay sample

From the palm tree laden beaches of the Caribbean a comes an iconic instrument whose distinctive tune has for decades been characteristic of the British West Indies, the afro-Caribbean culture and the island way of life. Though its unique melody can be found throughout the islands, many westerners may be surprised to know that this instrument does not come from the popular islands of the Bahamas, Jamaica nor Barbados but from the small island of Trinidad Tobago. Though this instrument is relatively new on the global music scene, appearing as recent as the 1940’s it is no doubt that in its short life it has made a notable impact in Trinidad, the Caribbean and the world. Unlike many instruments the term â€Å"steel pan† has multiple meanings and may refer to a single instrument, orchestral arrangement or family of instruments. The steel pan’s culture and tradition is like that of any other instrument in that the world’s perspective of it is based on a combination of its history, artists, repertoire, and performance context. We will write a custom essay sample on Steel Pan History or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Trinidad Tobago are a pair of twin islands in the southern Caribbean Sea. Though they are geographically considered part of the Americas, due to their proximity to South America and Venezuela in particular, of which they are 6. 8 miles away (at their closest point), Trinidad has shared and absorbed much of its culture from its indigenous inhabitants, colonial history, and the people who came to work on the plantations. Trinidad was discovered in 1492 by the Spanish explorer Columbus, on his first voyage to the Americas. Like many of its neighbours, though it originated as a Spanish colony through wars, acquisitions, treaties and varied emigration it has changed hands many times resulting in immense cultural diversity. This long line of colonial masters began with Spain, who in 1532 appointed its first governor to oversee its new acquisition. Very soon after its role as a labour colony was solidified, its primary source of labour, the indigenous population quickly eradicated through hard labour, disease and displacement. In order to resolve this labour deficit and increase population the Spanish government invited the French to settle in Trinidad and they came with their slaves, property and traditions of their own. They saw the opportunity to migrate to Trinidad as a blessing. †(â€Å"Emancipation Day†, 7), as planters in Martinique, Guadeloupe and other French territories feared that the revolt in Haiti could happen in the other French islands, and so they became afraid. â€Å"In February 1797, during the wars of the French Revolution, Trinidad capitulated to a British force, and in 1802, following the Treaty of Amiens; it was formally ceded to Great Britain. (â€Å"Colonial rule, 1). It was Britian’s rule that lead to: the freedom of the slaves in 1853. Trinidad becoming a liberated part of the Commonwealth in 1962 and a sovereign Republic in 1976. Though the British shaped the political, economic and social aspect of Trinidad, it was the French influence that brought Trinida d one of its most iconic pseudo-religious celebrations, Mardi-Gras or Carnival. This celebration would play a major role in the cultural development of the nation and the emergence of the steel pan. When the freed slaves (slavery was abolished in the West Indies in 1834) joined in the festivities, they could not afford the conventional instruments, so they used African drums, the instruments of their ancestors, then created percussion bands made up of bamboo joints cut from the bamboo plant. † (Pan a short history,1) Due to the fact that many of the plantation owner were absentee, it was these (former) slaves from the â€Å"Yoruba, Hausa, Congo, Ibo, Rada, Mandingo, Kromanti (Koromantyn) and Temne† (â€Å"Emancipation Day†, 7) traditions that became the founders of this nation and the innovators of this new instrument. To an ethnomusicologist the origins of the steel pan, as a percussion instrument will come as no surprise as bells rattles and drums have been used in African societies for communication, entertainment and worship from as early as â€Å"6000 B. C In Trinidad and Tobago African drums were used in churches, orchestras, dances and festivals. There are different types of drums such as the bougarabou, djembe, dun dun and talking drum. † (â€Å"Emancipation Day†, 8) In 1884 the beating of skin drums was prohibited in Trinidad as it was used as a method of accurate communication amongst slaves. This, simply forced the slaves to become more creative in there methods of communication, eventually leading to the beating of hollow bamboo stick and the tamboo-bamboo. The tamboo-bamboo are large hollow pieces of bamboo of varying sizes that are used to create tunes of varying sounds. After the emancipation of the slaves, the tamboo-bamboo progressed from a necessary method of communication to an alternative form of entertainment with accompanying, songs, dancing and celebrations. It was this step to multi-tonal percussion that was one of the largest progressions towards the steel pan as it is known today. Tamboo-bamboo bands were often accompanied by â€Å"non-traditional instruments like as scrap metal, metal containers, graters and dustbins† (Pan a short history,1). By the 1930’s these became the dominant component of Tamboo-bamboo bands. As metal became more readily available it gradually replaced bamboo. Metal playing musicians in these bands realised that raised sections of the instrument tended to make different sounds than flat sections of the instrument. During the World War II years there was a growing demand for oil and due to Trinidad’s large oil reserves, excess and discarded oil and chemical drums were plentiful. Through experimentation, luck and persistence by the unemployed and underprivileged youth came â€Å"the birth of steel pan, the only musical invention of the twentieth century. †( Pan a short history,1). It was discovered that by striking sections of the pan that had been warped by heat and mallet that one could achieve a variety of tones. According to tradition, a young man from Laventille, one of the most poverty stricken areas was the first to do this. Pan however; as an item was not invented by any person. It evolved and there are a number of people, including myself, who advanced it through certain stages of that evolution. (Elliott, 200) Some of these artists include ‘â€Å"Winston ‘Spree’ Simon is credited with creating the first ‘melody pan’†¦ Ellie Mannette is credited with being the first to wrap the playing sticks with rubber which softened the attack and produced a more refined tone (now called the hammer) Anthony Williams is credited with inventing the ‘spider web pan’ which was designed in a cycle of fourths and fifths. )† ( Pan a short history,2)â€Å"Today they are made using empty oil drums that are cut to varying depths depending on their role in the orchestra (bass, cello, guitar, ping-pong). The surface is then sunk about two inches and delicately seamed with a punch and hammer. A struck section will resound relative to its size and depth. The drum face is then exposed briefly to fire and doused with water or oil, which has the effect of retempering the steel and further insulating the notes. † (Sewell,1) In modern times, steel pan does not refer to a single instrument but rather a family of instruments that when played together in harmonies are referred to as â€Å"steel band†. Steel pan musicians are called pannists. The voices that compose the steel band are high tenor which ranges from D4 to F#6, low tenor which ranges from C4 to E6, double second pan uses two pans and ranges from F3 to B5, quadraphonic pan uses 4 pans and has an extensive pitch range, from B2 one octave below middle C to Bb5, guitar pan which ranges from one octave below middle C, to F#5 one octave above middle C, cello pan which uses a combination of 3 pans. One pan therefore contains the notes C, Eb, Gb and A; another pan contains C#, E, G and Bb; the third pan contains B, D, F and Ab, and the four pan bass which range is from G2, two octaves and a 4th below middle C, to D4 above middle C. The engine room as it has come to be known is a miscellaneous compilation of various non-traditional percussion instruments. Though its roots are as a method of communication for the slaves, the art of musical percussion in Trinidad has gradually become one of the most central and important aspect of the entertainment and cultural scene on the island. Panorama and Carnival are the greatest examples of the context of steel pan performance in the West Indies. â€Å"In 1963, the government of Trinidad and Tobago in conjunction with the National Association of Trinidad and Tobago Steel bandsmen (NATTS) launched a new steel band competition called Panorama. ’ (Steel band competition,1) Panorama is an annual steel band competition which consists of hundreds of bands and thousands of musicians. Though the compositions of the bands may change with regards to the musicians that participate the style, form and presentations of the band does not. People will often follow a particular band from year to year and round to round similar to the way people may support a team during the world cup. The competition consists of three rounds preliminary, semi-final and finals. Some world famous steel bands are the desperadoes, North Stars and the Harmonites. Each band plays a total of a 6 minuet recital, this performance is judged on arrangement, tone, rhythm and overall performance, four aspect controlled primarily by the arranger. Steel pan arrangers are among the most revered and beloved within the island musical community. Music is seldom written specifically for the steel drum. Though the steel drum can technically play any form of music, it’s repertoire comes primarily from the music in the popular culture. The most common form of music found in pan yards today is a popular form of music in Trinidad today called soca, some examples of soca played by the steel band include David Rudder’s The hammer, Marshall Montano’s Vibes cyah done and many more. Depending on the arranger the same song has the capacity to sound totally unique. The steel pan, being primarily a folk instrument does not share the bourgeois class statement that tradition musical instruments have. As a result transmission musical knowledge occurs in a much less formal setting than conventional western music. Some may seek lessons and theory books, but knowledge of the steel pan is most commonly acquired through friends, relatives or miscellaneous others. In conclusion the steel pan and steel pan culture have revolutionaries the way the world views the Caribbean. â€Å"indeed, over the past four decades, the steelpan has come a long way, moving from the panyards of the most depressed areas of a society to some of the most prestigious concert halls around the world. The Desperadoes, for instance, have performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo and Lincoln Theaters in New York, the United Nations building, and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D. C. Other bands like Renegades, All Stars, Phase Two, Exodus have wooed audiences from London to Paris to Japan, mesmerizing them with their renditions of some of the most complex works of the classic composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Sibelius, Rossini, Borodin. †( Pan a short history,1) It has given the West Indies a sound of it own, drawing thousands annually to its sweet sound and characteristic tone. Though it is just as much a part of the history of Trinidad and Tobago as the island itself the fact is that it is slowly disappearing. The steel pan has become a symbol of the islands’ peaceful past, as the average age of the musicians grow and the participation rate among youth gradually shrinks so two does it’s relevance in the modern world. The decline in the popularity of the steel pan has been related to rising gang violence, immoral behaviour and crime.