Challenge and opportunity: facility management in Shanghai

China is currently the fastest growing economy in the world. This paper discusses the current state of property management in Shanghai and reviews the challenges and opportunities for facility management in this city. In particular, it focuses on the embryonic role of FM resulting from the changes that are taking place in attitudes, both at the corporate and government level. It considers issues arising from personal observation of, and visits to, companies in Shanghai, and discussions with professionals in the property management sector in China. It describes typical property management provision in Shanghai and the growth in the importance of training for property management as part of the growing recognition of the significance of facility management in China. However, it concludes that until the property management industry fully matures it is unlikely that facility management will be widely practised for some time.