Notes from Shanghai
I'm here to do market research for the next couple of weeks and I'm constantly reminded of what an amazing city Shanghai is. This morning at Starbucks, I asked the barista to help me get on to their wireless system. He obliged, going so far as to use his own phone number--and go through a fairly long verification process built on SMS--to get me up and running. In my experience, the Shanghainese are overwhelmingly open and outgoing. Though the level of signage in English varies from the city center outward, and though there are limits to the amount of English you'll find among people over, say 35, what seems to be universal is a desire to help.It's something I've enjoyed each time I've been here.
Another universal is the presence of heavy construction equipment and projects. I wasn't so sure I'd see this. Last time I was here, in the depths of the recession, there was real concern that the economy would stall. But from all appearances, that's not true. Not only are there cranes everwhere, but in this little Starbucks well away from the city core, I've observed group after group of foreign business men talking and doing deals. In the past ten minutes I've had oil men from America preparing for meetings later today with the China National Oil Company, young German entrepreneurs doing technology deals sit down and move on.
But it's only day one. I'm looking forward to seeing what the mood is in today's focus groups.
Posted on 31 January 2010 by David Kippen
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