From its humble beginnings in a small town restaurant in Kobe, Japan, Karaoke has grown and is now recognised and enjoyed on a global scale. Considered by many as Japan's most insidious export since Godzilla, karaoke blossomed into a global, multi-billion $ business after its 1971 inception by a Japanese rock-and-roll drummer who cant read a note of music.

No, karaoke is not Japanese for tone-deaf and drunken. It is a popular form of entertainment that originated in Japan over twenty years ago. Karaoke is an abbreviation of "Karappo Okesutra" the Japanese word meaning "empty orchestra." The word `karaoke' is now listed in the Oxford English Dictionary, proving that the term has become widely recognised throughout the world. Karaoke is far from being only a brilliant innovative idea. Its invention and popularity in Japan is deeply embedded in its national culture.

Group value is one of the most important attributes...