Visiting Hong Kong and Learning about Doing Business in China

I'm on the plane to Hong Kong and about to spend a week learning about doing business in China through a UCLA Anderson trip. I'm very excited because this is my first trip to Asia, and I'm interested in learning about how entrepreneurship and small business works over there.

I've heard the architecture and culture are very different from the United States, though Hong Kong I expect won't be as drastic of a departure. Even so, I hope to get a flavor for some of the more traditional culture, architecture, food, and music while I'm there. I'm looking forward to meeting with real businesses, getting to know the business students at Chinese University Hong Kong, and trying to some real dim sum. I've also heard the light show at the harbor is beautiful, and I'm a big fan of light shows.

Also, as someone with a finance background, I'm excited to see one of the four "Asian Tigers" and one of the world's financial centers in action. I've heard that relationships and personal contacts are much more critical in Asian business, and I'm looking forward to learning more about that. Do people "network"? How do you meet new people? Do people give each other intros? How prevalent is bribery?

Overall, I'm very excited and will report what I learn soon.

Below are great articles I've run across in my preparations and research.

WSJ: After Earning Cash in China, The Trick Is Getting It Out

WSJ: DreamWorks in China

Really interesting article about modern HK-Mainland relations: MSNBC: Birth rights battle: China vs. Hong Kong

Understanding China and censorship: MakeUseOf: How To See If Any Website Is Blocked In China

An Overview On Doing Business In China: Intro, Full

Foreign Entrepreneurs in China: A JV Survival Guide: Article 1, Article 2

BBC: Hong Kong entrepreneur finds opportunity in city’s darkest moment

TechCrunch: From Zynga To Flipboard: Why All Eyes Are On China For The Next Mobile Boom

WSJ: China Premier Wen Jiabao Backs Financial Market Reform

9 Trends in Chinese Entrepreneurship

In search of best dim sum in Hong Kong