Factors That Affect Location Decisions

Selecting a facility location is becoming much more complex with globalization. As we saw in Chapter 2, globalization has taken place because of the development of (1) market economics; (2) better international communications; (3) more rapid, reliable travel and shipping; (4) ease of capital flow between countries; and (5) high differences in labor costs. Many firms now consider opening new offices, factories, retail stores, or banks outside their home country. Location decisions transcend national borders. In fact, as Figure 8.1 shows, the sequence of location decisions often begins with choosing a country in which to operate.

Table 8.1 Competitiveness of 144 Selected Countries, Based on Annual Surveys ...

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