As a global company based in Hong Kong, Techtronics Industries (TTI) is sitting on top of the world. Since its incorporation in 1985 as an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), TTI grew into a leading producer and brand-owner of power equipment and floor-care products in North America, Europe and Australia. At an investors meeting in 2015, it boasted of an unbroken 4-year growth of sales revenues and double digit net profits. TTI attributes its success to its passion for product innovation, manufacturing excellence, and unwavering devotion to specific markets. To sustain its growth, TTI was convinced that the Asian region would be its next frontier. How should it go about deciding which countries to target? What are the challenges and risks in introducing TTI's premium products to emerging markets?

Chow Tai Fook (CTF) is China's largest jewelry retailer by market capitalization, with reported sales of USD7.4 billion in fiscal year 2013 and is less known to Westerners. Within mainland China, the Hong Kong-based brand was better known than other international jewelry brands such as Bulgari and Tiffany. CTF's aggressive expansion strategy in China aimed to have 2,000 point-of-sales outlets by the end of 2014. Faced with rapidly changing demographic, social, economic, and digital landscapes within Mainland China, Kent Wong, the Managing Director of CTF, is challenged to fine-tune CTF's operation and marketing strategies in order to sustain its leading competitive position. The company is also facing some severe headwinds that could slow down its growth path. One of the biggest hurdles is the anti-graft drive initiated by the Chinese President to stamp out corruption among government officials. Many analysts fear that this campaign would have negative or even devastating consequences for many luxury goods companies like CTF, especially for goods associated with conspicuous consumption.

Case (A) of this two-part case study describes the trials and tribulations of the protagonist Eva Cheng, Chairman of Amway (China), in her attempts to establish and to develop her company's direct sales operations in the burgeoning China market in the 1990s. Along the way, she is stymied by the passage of a State Council ban against direct selling, which affected the whole industry.

In case (B) of this two-part case series, the Chairman of Amway (China), Eva Cheng, encounters many situations where her negotiation and leadership skills are tested with challenges from government bodies, illegal sellers, competitors, and the company's own distributors. How can Amway overcome these hurdles and thrive in China's opaque and volatile environment?