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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. Prior to Schmidt''s arrival, the company had demonstrated a lack of commitment to Asia, 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 the region, 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. Specifically, the case provides students with an opportunity to: (1) analyse the dynamics of the optical disc manufacturing industry in Asia; and (2) to assess the suitability of agents as key distribution sales and service channels, based on a generic evaluative criteria.