🧮 How businesses evaluate location options
Big Idea: Choosing a location isn't just a gut feeling — businesses use structured methods to compare options and make the best decision. 🎯
Methods for evaluating locations
- Cost-benefit analysis — weigh up the financial pros and cons of each option
- Quantitative scoring — assign numerical scores to key factors and compare totals
- Break-even analysis — calculate how many sales are needed at each location to cover costs
- Investment appraisal — use payback period or ARR to compare long-term returns
Exam tip: When comparing two location options, use both quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (judgement) arguments for a balanced answer.
🚚 Relocation and reorganisation
Sometimes a business needs to move from its current location. This is a major strategic decision with big implications.
Why might a business relocate?
- To be closer to customers or a growing market
- To reduce costs (cheaper rent, wages or taxes)
- To access better infrastructure or transport links
- Forced by external factors (lease expiry, natural disaster, government policy)
Risks of relocation
- High moving costs and disruption to operations
- Loss of skilled staff who cannot or will not move
- Customers may be lost if the business moves too far
- Takes time to establish in a new area
Relocation is a high-risk, high-reward decision. It must be justified by long-term benefits that outweigh the short-term costs and disruption. 📦➡️🏢
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📝 Tackling location questions in exams
Location questions often appear as 10-mark 'recommend' or 'evaluate' questions where you compare two options.
How to structure your answer
- Identify the key factors for THIS business (use the case study data!)
- Argue FOR Option A — explain how it meets the business's needs
- Argue FOR Option B — explain its advantages too
- Evaluate — weigh up which factors matter MOST for this business
- Give a justified conclusion — which option is best and WHY
Common mistake: Don't just list generic location factors! You MUST link them to the specific business in the case study to score top marks.
Use stakeholder analysis: How will each option affect employees, customers, shareholders and the local community?