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TB0249

Andrew Inkpen

Jextra Neighbourhood Stores in Malaysia

op yo In October 2010, Tom Chong was on his way to his office and thinking about several issues he would have to deal with in the coming weeks. Chong was Jextra Stores (Jextra) country manager for the Neighbourhood Markets
Division in Malaysia. One issue involved a conversation with the mayor of Klang, a town near Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Chong had been seeking to expand to Klang for some time. The mayor surprised Chong with an offer to help with land zoning if Jextra would help finance a new primary school (or at least Chong thought that was what he had been asked for).
The second issue …show more content…
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Chong reported to a Regional Operating Officer responsible for Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, and was in constant contact with the CEO and the CFO of the Supermarket and Hypermarket Divisions of Jextra in
Hong Kong. Chong was evaluated based on various financial measures, including Economic Value Added. As a country manager in a young market, the number of new stores opened was an important element in his overall evaluation, and a factor in determining his career prospects. In a fast-growing market like Malaysia, a failure to open new stores would be viewed negatively at corporate headquarters. The number of new stores opened would also be a factor in determining his discretionary bonus. In recent years, Chong’s performance had been among the best for Jextra managers of his age and experience.

A New Store in Klang

op yo Jextra was doing well in Malaysia and actively seeking to expand. Chong and his team had identified a potential site in Klang for a new Neighbourhood Market. Klang, a town located about 30 km west of Malaysia’s capital,
Kuala Lumpur, was growing and was viewed as an attractive location for