Track: Operations Management and Operations Research

Abstract

Shopping centre in Malaysia has shown progressive growths and increasing level of competitiveness. Shopping centre plays a crucial role in promoting economic growth and urban development. Now, with the emergence of more shopping centre, undoubtedly the competitions between malls have become stiffer. Shopping centre that are unable to stand the test of time will not survive because of online shopping. Online shopping provides consumers with ultimate levels of convenience. Malls will never be able to compete with the endless product selection, price comparisons and always-on nature of online. Nor should they try. Instead, malls need to move in a different direction, away from commoditized shopping experiences and toward a broadened value proposition for consumers. Given this context, this paper brings the Malaysian shopping centres into focus by analysing the criteria and characteristic of the Kuala Lumpur shopping centre through classification of shopping centre. Delphi Method was selected as a reliable qualitative method based on the local context in developing criteria and characteristic of shopping centre ranking through the viewpoints of local expert panels. It is believed that the viewpoints can deliver guidance to the researcher in recognizing the quality of each shopping centre criteria in local environment. There are three rounds Delphi Method used through expert panels in various field including property valuation property management, architecture, estate agency, and building surveying. The study was successful in evaluating the criteria and characteristic of shopping centre in local context and it is expected to provide insights to the stakeholders in improving their investment and business decision of the shopping centre in Malaysia.