We set out to find what motivates centre management and what turns them off? What do they look forward to most at work and what dismays them? How secure do they feel about their future? We also asked them where is the shopping centre business heading? And what about life after work?

Now the results are in, and it's clear that broadly centre managers are satisfied with their lot in life but there are some areas of the industry that need improvement.

Broadly, 92 per cent of respondents say they are proud of their job, although only 76 per cent feel it is well respected in the outside world. One respondent summed up the broadly positive attitude: "Being a shopping centre director provides me with a healthy income, community standing, complete job satisfaction and never a dull moment," he wrote. And another said: "Fascinating, exciting, forward thinking, modern, contemporary. A great environment to work in."

Overall 79 per cent feel shopping centres are still a fun place to work. But one took a more jaundiced view: "The shopping centre business is very political and money-driven."

Although they are broadly content now, many managers are uncertain about the future. 44 per cent are concerned that internet retailing could threaten their job security. While 87 per cent feel the shopping centre business is a profession with a long-term secure future, 24 per cent said they knew of people leaving because they didn't see the industry as having a secure future.

The large number of investment sales concerns some, with 31 per cent agreeing with the statement: "Changing ownership undermines my loyalty to the business" and 29 per cent agreeing that "the loss of colleagues through continual change has caused low morale in my centre." One respondent wrote: "There is a requirement for more stability in the industry. Owners, managing agents and surveyors change far too often."

There is also concern about levels of pay. Only 60 per cent are able to agree that "my pay adequately reflects my skills and commitment to the company" while 66 per cent say they would leave if they could find a better-paid job outside the industry.

It's probably as well, then, that only eight per cent of managers confess to being motivated at work primarily by money. 79 per cent are motivated mainly by job satisfaction and the remaining 13 per cent by customer interaction.

The biggest bugbear was summed up by one respondent: "Centre managers need to be given the freedom to manage." 42 per cent of managers agree strongly, and another 29 per cent agree with the statement: "I resent non-retail outside consultants making key decisions about my shopping centre."

However, 90 per cent feel that landlords' and managing agents' understanding of shopping centre issues is improving.

The industry is split on the statement: "Landlords are only interested in making money at the expense of servicing the needs of tenants and shoppers." 50 per cent agree and 50 per cent disagree, although those in agreement tend to hold their opinions more strongly.

One felt lucky: "There are different types of landlords and it is really good working for one that demonstrates that they are in for long-term ownership and will listen and act on views to improve the centre." But another less so: "Sometimes the shopping centre can be over-managed, with a centre manger, managing agent and pro-active landlord all trying to manage the centre to their own objectives, rather than letting the centre manager get on and provide best value."

One detailed response summed up these concerns: "The quantity of paperwork being generated is threatening to become overwhelming. I think I am good at understanding both tenants and their customers and providing innovative solutions and promotions to market and improve the centres. Having country-wide decisions imposed and spending disproportionate amounts of time retrospectively benchmarking is going to impact on originality. I have spent more time in the past 12 months completing paperwork for my head office than I have delivering responses and initiatives on the floor."

The Fox Kalomaski team also asked a question about their own speciality, shopping centre marketing, and identified room for improvement (and potential new business opportunities). Asked to comment on the statement "Shopping centres are very poor at marketing themselves" 42 per cent of managers agreed.

But managers were far more confident in their community relations: asked if they agreed that : "I feel my shopping centre is an important part of the community" 95 per cent agreed. And one wrote: "Shopping centres continue to act as the forum for community interaction, in doing so they provide a valuable service that cannot be equalled in any other retailing form."

Analysing the results, Fox Kalomaski managing partner Stephen Fox said: "When you consider the tough times over the last two years, our shopping centre folk are really rather optimistic and forward-looking.

"What I found really positive was 95 per cent of the respondents to the survey felt their centre was an important part of the community."

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