But under Hong Kong's modern facade, old-school practices persist. They only know how much money they have in the bank,'' he says. Most operate in what he calls a ''fire-fighting mode,'' reacting to problems rather than anticipating them. But that agility is also an advantage that should serve Hong Kong well after the hand-over, he believes. Employees' wages, land expenses and rents.
Customers are more demanding.
That border will still separate the mainland and Hong Kong after midnight, July 1. But the line increasingly blurs. Even now, about 130,000 people travel each day between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Ricky opened his Shenzhen office two years ago to better serve busy clients whose factories dot southern China. He spends Tuesdays and Thursdays there.