Lower-tier Chinese cities enjoy some advantages over top-tier ones in terms of labor costs and favorable local and central policies that speed up development. But they now share a problem with some of their larger counterparts: A shortage of professional company managers who can ensure sustainable growth.

According to recruitment service provider BRecruit, local professional managers are still in huge demand among multinational companies in Dalian, Liaoning province, despite the fact that the geographical advantages of first-tier cities are waning with the development of the logistics industry.

Traditional manufacturing and property industries are more affected by the lack of such talent.