Production and Operation Management

Being in the right location is a key ingredient in a business 's success. If a company selects the wrong location, it may have adequate access to customers, workers, transportation, materials, and so on. Consequently, location often plays a significant role in a company 's profit and overall success. A location strategy is a plan for obtaining the optimal location for a company by identifying company needs and objectives, and searching for locations with offerings that are compatible with these needs and objectives. Generally, this means the firm will attempt to maximize opportunity while minimizing costs and risks.
A company 's location strategy should conform with, and be part of, its overall corporate strategy. Hence, if a company strives to become a global leader in telecommunications equipment, for example, it must consider establishing plants and warehouses in regions that are consistent with its strategy and that are optimally located to serve its global customers. A company 's executives and managers often develop location strategies, but they may select consultants (or economic development groups) to undertake the task of developing a location strategy, or at least to assist in the process, especially if they have little experience in selecting locations.
Formulating a location strategy typically involves the following factors: 1. Facilities. Facilities planning involves determining what kind of space a company will need given its short-term and long-term goals. 2. Feasibility. Feasibility analysis is an assessment of the different operating costs and other factors associated with different locations. 3. Logistics. Logistics evaluation is the appraisal of the transportation options and costs for the prospective manufacturing and warehousing facilities. 4. Labor. Labor analysis determines whether prospective locations can meet a company 's labor needs given its short-term and long-term goals. 5. Community and site. Community and site