Developed out of a concern for the role postsecondary education should play in middle management development, this report presents an exploratory study of those factors influencing the nature and characteristics of middle management in the retail department store. The research involved personal interviews with retail department store executives and middle managers in the East North Central Region of the United States and sought answers to questions such as "What kind of education?" and "What is the appropriate source of education?" The findings of this research provide new insights and important clues concerning the characteristics, educational needs, duties, and projected needs for retail middle managers. The six chapters of this report include information on (1) the dynamics of retailing, (2) the functions performed by retail firms, (3) the functions of middle management, (4) the description of middle managers, (5) ideal source of training, and (6) middle management needs. The report includes 67 tables and a comprehensive appendix of supporting data. (Author/JS)