What factors go into making a decision to move your company to another state?

For a company the size of Sears, this would be a major and dissruptive move if they decide to do it. Many key employees would not go along. Sears, or any company, would have to decide whether the cost was worth it.

In a cynical way, a move such as this would allow a company to "leave behind" many of their problems such as older and inefficient employees, high facilities cost, poor systems and the like. By moving, they can start fresh and fix many of the ills that exist in the current organization and way of doing things. The downside would be loss of key employees and many mistakes that might be made while setting up shop elsewhere. Once moved, whatever savings there are become permanent, a positive thing from their point of view.

I doubt that the issues with the Illinois government has much to do with a decision of this magniture, but might be one of the factors considered. My guess is that the overhead of their existing and possibly bloated organization and set in stone ways of doing things may be the real reasons why a large company might want to make this kind of move.

Thanks John and Rick. I agree that the decision almost seems to have been made already and that there are probably hidden factors that are leading them to make a major change in this direction. During times like this I always wonder what is going on in the heads of the decision makers. I guess this will be a story we just have to watch unfold.

There are 3 other factors that haven't been mentioned. The first is a move by many companies to "right to work" states so that their companies are no longer basically controlled by unions. This fact is in part the reasons that several states have been trying to become "right to work" states which normally have lower taxes and less red tape for doing business.

States, regions and cities actively recruit growth companies by offering a variety of incentives from tax breaks to grants and/or funding opportunities which they hope will cause companies to relocate. If the offer is good enough, the company may move.

The final reason can be a lack of workforce. When a community and its educational system are not responsive to the needs of local companies, it may encourage company relocation to an area with a workforce that can meet their needs or educational systems that will work with them closely to provide the education and training essential to the company.

Relocating a company is a big decision but it is often a case of the company feeling forced to relocate by the community or state rather than a positive choice.

Make some other things sure. Like:-

Information and Information Changes - Take appropriate want to examine and change your cope with at all the essential destinations. Banking organizations, two, members etc, all should be sent straight to you new house. It is very complicated to do it after you move, so you should do it before the move.