Can a Glocal Focus Work: Being Global and Malaysian
X was a company of just over 1000 employees, 99 percent of which were Malaysian nationals. CEO Azran Osman-Rani and his upper management team all had foreign education, work, or living experiences . However, much of the rest of the team had never been exposed to international business practice. In early 2011, 60 per cent of X’s passengers were Malaysians, though this ratio was about to shift with the addition of new routes. Balan commented: “We have never really had people with an outsider’s viewpoint , and I think that will be a huge asset for us as we become more diverse and grow.” Supporting this position, Osman-Rani stated:
We expect to have to make alterations to our business model as we expand to serve new and different markets, and that includes our workforce. At the same time, it is critical to remain disciplined in keeping our costs low, so we can adapt and change. We can’t afford to hire seasoned highly paid airline executives. It will disturb our culture.