How can a firm select the best city in which to locate?

According to Cliff Ennico, writing in Entrepreneur: “Let’s say you run a state or local government, and you’re anxious to attract entrepreneurs to your state, city, or town. Who ya gonna call? For many states and municipalities around the country, the answer is DCI, or Development Counsellors International, a national public relations firm with offices in New York City and Denver that specializes in ‘economic development marketing.’ Translation: They get the word out that City X or State Y is a great place to locate your business. So what makes for an entrepreneur-friendly environment? ‘There’s a real kaleidoscope of factors,’ says DCI President Andy Levine, ‘and the biggest mistake people make is focusing on just one or two of them. An area may offer tremendous tax incentives, for example, which helps in the short term, but the longer-term profit picture may be a problem because the transportation system isn’t so good, or you can’t find the right kinds of workers there.’ ”

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