The case is set in April 2001 and finds Peter Schmidt, Director of Sales (Asia) for Opti-Tech Limited (Opti-Tech), in the midst of preparing his business development plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Since joining the US-based electroforming equipment manufacturer less than a year ago, Schmidt has been spending about 80 percent of his time travelling throughout Asia learning about optical disc manufacturing, the industry serviced by Opti-Tech. Prior to Schmidt's arrival, the company had demonstrated a lack of commitment to the region, which resulted in a significant slump in sales and poor after-sales service. It was then that senior management realised that a more concerted effort was needed if the company was to develop an effective sales and service network in Asia, beginning with the hiring of Schmidt. After taking almost one year to learn about the industry and assess Opti-Tech's relative position in Asia, Schmidt has concluded that his first priority should be on determining who should be the company's key agents in selected markets.