All these nurtured the open mind-set of Shanghaies, a willingness and ability to accept Western things and ideas. Such historic features gave the city a great advantage when China started opening up to the West. The city is like a sprinter ready to charge in the competition for foreign investment and business. The eagerness to do business and the ability to communicate, backed by the government policy of special zones, have encouraged thousands of foreign companies to establish their presence in the city. Another quality of the people in this city is their willingness and ability to absorb new things and ideas.
Foreigners are often amazed by their knowledge of the world's latest technology and developments.
The city certainly has the brightest minds in the country. The collective source of information enables the people to access the information but, in turn, increases the need to reach for more. Such quality often creates problems for Shanghaies among Chinese from other places. Such resentment toward Shanghaies among other Chinese has worked against them in business dealings. The people Shanghai is known for the quality of its human resources.