HONG KONG, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite growing concern with quality of life issues such as pollution, almost one-half of surveyed executives in the world's second-largest economy judge themselves capable of balancing work and play, and all things considered, are fairly content with their lives. One in five is now "bourgeois" enough to call upon the services of a consultant or personal trainer.

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These findings are based on a nationwide survey of 1,320 businesspeople conducted by China's premier management portal, Chief Executive China Online several weeks prior to the Lunar New Year. Two-thirds of respondents are managers, including one-quarter holding the post of director or higher.

The portrait of the China manager that emerges from the 21-question survey is surprisingly upbeat:

• One-half find the environment where they reside to be "acceptable";
• Just under half claim they regularly feel "happy";
• Eight out of 10 find stress levels at work acceptable; and
• Only one out of five is markedly dissatisfied with his or her current salary.

Intriguingly, three factors impact heavily on whether these executives perceive themselves as happy, but perhaps not in the way one might expect: location, marital status and income.

Some 38 percent of respondents live in China's first-tier cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen). They are far more concerned about the threat posed by environmental pollution than those based elsewhere, and overall, those dwelling in third-tier urban or rural settings appear more satisfied with their surroundings.

In terms of marital status, those answering that they are "often happy" are seven times more likely to have a spouse.

It is widely held that the greater one's income the more content one feels, but perhaps only up to a point. According to the survey, "happiness" peaks at RMB800,000 a year (US$128,000) and then drops off quite a bit.

In 1992, Global Sources launched Chief Executive China. It is now a multiple-channel medium -- with website, monthly magazine, and iPad and mobile phone editions -- serving a community of more than 2 million registered executives in China who seek insight into global management theory and practice. 

The survey is free for download at Chief Executive China Online http://www.ceconline.com/strategy/ma/8800066088/106c609701/.

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