panies. The value structure is different; it’s obvious that the way the company is run—from the organizational structure to the marketing activities—is affecting the staff. For instance, in some companies, engineers are leading the product concept while in others they are executors. Companies with peer-to-peer performance reviews drive individualism, whereas when the company performance is part of the personal review, individuals tend to work more as a team.

The value structure sets different working paces. We see a lot of fast-paced work because of the nature of consumer electronics industries, which are fast moving with a high degree

of competition. You also can see this in some U.S. companies producing consumer electronic products. In Hong Kong there is a high demand for new products with a short turnaround; therefore, business is less open to new ideas. Quite often I need to sacrifice quality in order to produce a “speedy” product.

I find that people in the United States are more laid-back. They really value a “ work-life balance,” whereas in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, often work is more important.

Patrick: Everything in Hong Kong has to be done yesterday! That is the way things work here, and it will take time to change habits. I tend to attribute this to a lack of exposure

to the kind of problems that require creative thinking and problem solving—problems that require design. The economy in Hong Kong has been growing thanks to property and financial investments, manufacturing goods, and trading for the past few decades. These businesses valued quick decision making and networking over creative thinking and innovation. To me, the situation in Hong Kong today is a legacy of this past, a past that promoted certain types of people who were made into heroes in the eyes of others, people who are now eager to reproduce that same model. Unfortunately, the world has changed, and to succeed, Hong Kong has to become

Photograph by Molly Mund

• The hustle and bustle of Hong Kong’s regularly overcrowded streets.