Question

1. If smart-buy wants to relocate headquarters, where should they do this? Please use at least 2 queries to answer this question. Take into consideration where the employees that work jobs that would be associated with headquarters (for example: accountants, IT workers, executives, and possibly others) currently live. Also consider the location of our most lucrative stores. Figure out how to provide a heatmap of the location of the most lucrative stores.

Answer 1

Answer

Businesses relocate due to labor and work force issues, the desire to reach new markets, the need to upgrade facilities or equipment, the desire to lower costs or increase cash flow, and considerations about quality of life. For different businesses and at different times, certain concerns are more important than others.

Corporate relocations are not taken lightly and are tremendously impactful and laden with immense challenges to carry through with implementation. Making the decision to relocate can be extremely challenging for a variety of reasons, such as:

• A company’s location is an important element in displaying its personality or image

• Moving the company away from its original roots in a particular community can be emotional

• The location is an important part of a company’s identity and can play a role in the perception of its customers and investors

• The company may have been an integral part in helping grow an emerging cluster and relocating could impact continued cluster success.

Smart-buy wants to relocate headquarters. They should relocate considering two main points- talent acquisition and tax incentive

Talent Acquisition
Much of the recent migration of corporate headquarters to urban areas is tied to employee recruitment. Companies believe they are better positioned to uncover and draw top talent — especially millennial talent — when they are based in major cities. In the Chicago area alone, many well-known companies are moving their headquarters from long-held suburban properties to the city, including McDonald's, Motorola Solutions, the Kraft Heinz Company, and the Hillshire Brands Company, largely motivated by their bids to attract desirable candidates from a changing workforce.

Retention of existing top performers also merits consideration, though. That means a company must weigh such factors as the potential relocation site's cost of living and quality of life, which can include commute time, school district quality, and crime rates. These matters could deter valued employees from moving with the headquarters.

And the company must take into account the labor costs and availability of labor to fuel or keep up with future growth. Right-to-work laws and the costs of unemployment insurance and workers' compensation coverage also might affect the relocation decision.

Tax Incentives
The availability of financial incentives from state and local governments can play a substantial role in the relocation decision. Many jurisdictions are willing to extend such breaks for relocating headquarters in recognition of the ripple effect these moves can have on the economy in the surrounding area, as well as the potential benefits of corporate philanthropic efforts.