My dissertation research was on the Southwest and Southern Plains trade between agriculturists - Pueblo people who lived in town and grew beans and corn - and mobile, nomadic groups who hunted bison on the Plains and then would exchange bison products for agricultural products. This was in the late-pre-contact to early-contact period - from about 1450 AD through 1700 AD.

The nomadic groups included ancestors of the Apaches, as well as Plains Caddoan groups; later other nomadic groups, such as the Commanche, Kiowa, and Cheyenne, participated in this trade. They would come to the pueblos once or twice a year, and the people from the pueblo would come out, and they would trade. We would call them trade fairs - that term has been used.

Pecos, N.M., was an important pueblo located on the edge of the Plains; Taos was another. They would probably have longstanding relationships with the people they traded with. They may have even intermarried. It wasn't just an economic relationship; it was also a social relationship.

The forerunners of modern trade shows can be found in the early markets and bazaars of Asia and Europe, where sellers and buyers of goods informally gathered to display and buy wares. By the 1800s, international exhibitions attracted millions of visitors, who were introduced to new products and technologies.

In the United States, early World's Fairs introduced Americans to important technologies such as electricity and the telephone as well as iconic items such as the Ferris Wheel and Cracker Jack (Chicago, 1893). These major expositions coincided with the development of professional associations in the late 1800s, and by the mid-twentieth century, industry-focused trade shows had become important clearinghouses of information and personal connections.

Throughout the centuries, personal interaction has remained an important element in establishing trust during the sales process. And this integration of economic and social interchange remains a driving force in today's trade-show industry.

Trade shows can trace their roots back nearly 2,500 years, when merchants began displaying their wares around the local well in the hopes of drumming up more business. The energy of coming together was contagious, and the events became social as well as commercial.

Trade shows obviously serve a commercial function: Sellers present their goods to buyers in hopes of making a sale. But the non-selling dimensions of trade shows must never be overlooked. A company's presence at a trade show is far more than advertising. It provides an opportunity to create or maintain identity, identify new markets, and even check out the competition. Trade shows cannot be seen as a single event, but instead must be considered as a celebration of corporate identity and culture.

To remain competitive in a tight economy, companies would be wise to clearly define their learning objectives for displaying at a trade show. When managers can clearly articulate their desired outcomes for "taking their show on the road," it is far easier to calculate a return on investment.