2. What should be Y. C.’s objective in his discussion with Herr Clausen? For Y. C. Yang the year was practically over at the end of August. He was heading Yang Toyland Pte, Limited, a small, family-owned toy manufacturer, which he ran together with his older sister and his younger brother in Singapore.

‘This year’s turnover will reach about S$14 million –

an increase of about 20% over the preceding year,’ he thought to himself, ‘and profit will also be good –

perhaps even reaching S$600,000.’

He did not expect any more major orders to come in. His customers from the United States and Europe had placed their orders, quite a substantial part of which had already been carried out and even shipped to arrive at their destinations in time for Christmas. There would be one or two additional orders within the next weeks, but after that his company would be able to turn its attention again to finding and developing ideas for new products.