This document summarizes the findings of a survey conducted by DCI about factors that influence executive perceptions and decisions regarding site selection. Some key findings include: 1. The top three leading sources of information for executives are dialogue with industry peers, articles in newspapers/magazines, and business travel. Executive perceptions are also strongly influenced by third party rankings and surveys. 2. When evaluating economic development organizations and locations, executives find incentive information, workforce statistics, and site/building databases to be the most useful features on websites. 3. Texas is considered to have the most favorable business climate, while California, New York, and Illinois are seen as the least favorable. 4. The primary drivers for international

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2014

5. Demographic Profile of Respondents:
Corporate Executives – 75%
Site Selection Consultants – 25%
91% M
9% F
356 Respondents
Age
Under 39 13%
40 – 49 25%
50 – 59 40%
60 and Over 22%

6. Corporate Executives | Site Selection Consultants
Manufacturing– 51%
Services– 49%
Gross Revenue
Less than $25 million 32%
$25 - $49 million 15%
$50 - $99 million 11%
$100 - $249 million 11%
$250 million - $499 million 8%
$500 million and higher 23%
Size of Company
45%
8%
47%
I am a single practitioner
1-25 employees
25+ employees

7. Influencing Executive Perceptions:
Leading Sources of Information

8. Q:
Q:
What are the three leading sources of
information influencing your perceptions
of an area’s business climate?

9. Influencing Executive Perceptions:
Leading Sources of Information
55% 44% 37%
Dialogue with
Industry Peers
Articles in Newspapers
and Magazines
Business Travel

10. Leading Sources of Information
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Dialogue with industry peers
Newspapers and magazines
Business travel
Meetings with ED groups
Rankings / surveys
Online sources
Word of mouth
Personal travel
Other
TV and radio
Advertising
Direct mail
Social media
55%
44%
37%
31%
24%

11. Leading Sources of Information
(Responses Over Time)
Sources 2014 2011 2008 2005 2002 1999 1996
Dialogue with industry peers 55% 50% 61% 54% 56% 71% 68%
Newspapers and magazines 44% 46% 53% 45% 62% 61% 60%
Business Travel 37% 27% 42% 45% 47% 45% 52%
Meetings with ED orgs. 31% 28% 32% 33% 21% 27% 24%
Rankings/surveys 24% 36% 22% 17% 23% 31% 34%
Online sources 22% 20% 28% 22% 9% 9% --
Word of mouth 21% 19% 19% 16% 29% 21% 24%
Personal travel 13% 9% 14% 13% 14% 8% 21%

12. Leading Sources of Information
(Corporate Executives vs. Location Advisors)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Dialogue with industry peers
Newspapers and magazines
Business travel
Meetings with ED groups
Rankings/surveys
Online sources
Word of mouth
Personal travel
Corporate Executives
Location Advisors

13. Where Are Executives
Getting Their News?

14. What newspapers, magazines and online
sources do you read most frequently?

15. Where Are Executives
Getting their News?
NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES
65% Wall Street Journal
30% Local Daily Newspaper
24% New York Times
20% The Economist
15% Forbes
7% USA Today
6% Bloomberg Businessweek
6% Financial Times
ONLINE
26% WSJ.com
17% Google.com
15% Economic Development Websites
13% Bloomberg.com
11% Bureau of Labor Statistics
11% CNN
11% NYTimes.com
11% Yahoo Finance

16. What specific surveys/rankings do
you pay the most attention to?

17. Surveys & Rankings
26% Forbes
21% Site Selection Magazine
16% Area Development
14%
Tax Foundation Business Tax
Climate Index
14% Wall Street Journal
5% Bloomberg

18. Best Marketing Techniques

19. Please rate the effectiveness of the
following marketing techniques as a
means of influencing your opinion when
considering a new location.

20. Most Effective Marketing Techniques
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Internet
Visits
Special events
Trade shows
Internet/Website
Planned visits to
corporate executives
Media Relations/
Publicity
67%
64%
48%
Advertising
Direct mail
Telemarketing
1.
2.
3.
Media relations

21. Most Effective Marketing Techniques
(Responses Over Time)
2014 2011 2008 2005 2002 1999 1996
Internet/website 67% 55% 56% 53% 34% 37% 18%
Visits to corporate
executives
64% 57% 54% 55% 53% 46% 53%
Media Relations/ Publicity 48% 33% 52% 50% 40% 38% 39%
Hosting Special Events 46% 35% 45% 49% 37% 42% 39%
Trade Shows 38% 35% -- 33% 32% 45% 39%
Advertising 17% 16% 15% 20% 21% 19% 19%
Direct Mail 14% 15% 19% 23% 33% 25% 25%

22. Most Effective Marketing Techniques
(Responses based on Respondent Type)
Location Advisor Large Company Midsize Company
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%
Internet/Website
Visits to Corporate Executives
Trade Shows
Media Relations/Publicity
Hosting Special Events
Advertising
Direct Mail
Telemarketing

23. The Web and Site Selection

24. In your most recent location search,
how often did you use the Internet
as a source of information?

25. Frequency of Internet Use in Most Recent Site
Location Search

26. First Contact: When Site Selectors Turn to
Economic Development Groups

27. Generally, at what stage in a site location
search would you first contact economic
development organizations?

28. First Contact with Economic Development Groups
During the screening phase
Following the development of the shortlist
After identifying finalists
After a final location has been selected
We would not contact an ED organization
25%
3%
15%
41%
16%

29. First Contact with Economic Development Groups
(Responses Over Time)
Sources 2014 2011 2008 2005
During the screening phase of all possible
locations in order to request preliminary data
25% 24% 29% 27%
Following the development of the shortlist of
communities to request specific information or to
arrange a site visit
41% 40% 40% 48%
After identifying finalists in order to negotiate
incentives
15% 13% 18% 15%
After a final location has been selected and a
suitable building lot is needed
3% 6% 5% 2%
We would not contact an economic development
organization at any stage in a site location search
16% 17% 8% 8%

30. What is the likelihood that you will
visit an economic development
organization's website during your
next site location search?

31. Likelihood of Visiting an ED Organizations’ Website
During Next Site Search (Response Over Time)
63%
47%
65% 64%
39%
2002 2005 2008 2011 2014

32. Likelihood of Visiting an ED Organizations’ Website
During Next Site Search
(Corporate Executives vs. Location Advisors)

33. Web Design:
Important Information for Site Selectors

34. Which features do you consider most
important to the utility of an economic
development organization's website?

35. Most Useful Features of
an Economic Development Organization’s Website
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Incentive information
Workforce statistics
Demographic information
Comparisons to competitor locations
Database of available buildings/sites
Major employer list
Staff contact information
Quality of life information
Target industries
Maps of the community / region
Educational institution information
Press releases/announcements
Testimonials from local employers
Video content

36. Most Useful Features of
an Economic Development Organization’s Website
(Corporate Executives vs. Location Advisors)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Corporate Executives
Location Advisors
Incentive information
Workforce statistics
Demographic information
Comparisons to competitor location
Database of available buildings and sites
Major employer list
Staff contact information

37. Most Useful Features of
an Economic Development Organization’s Website
(Corporate Executives vs. Location Advisors)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Quality of life
Target industries
Maps of the community/region
Educational institution information
Press releases/announcements
Testimonials from local employers
Video content
Corporate Executives
Location Advisors

38. Social Media
And Executive Decision Makers

39. Which social media channels do you
currently use for business purposes?

40. Social Media Channels Used for Business
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
LinkedIn
Twitter
Blog forums
Facebook
None
YouTube
Other
74%

41. Social Media Channels Used for Business
(Response based on Respondent Age)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
LinkedIn
Facebook
Blog forums
Twitter
YouTube
Other
None
Under 39
40 - 49
50 - 59
60 and over

42. Looking Forward: Projected Location
Decisions In 2014 And 2015

43. Companies Planning a Location Decision
in the Next 24 Months
44%
46%
2011 2014

44. Most Likely Facility Type for Next Facility Change
Manufacturing / production plant
Corporate, division or regional headquarters
Regional sales office or service center
Back office/shared services facility
Distribution center
Other
25%
12%
11%
16%
5%
31%

45. Planning to Outsource a Portion of
Site Selection Responsibilities
40%
47%
2011 2014

46. Location Advisors: Most Common Type of
Relocation Project
Manufacturing/production plant
Back office/shared services facility
Corporate, division or regional
headquarters
Distribution center
Other
Regional sales office or service center
2%
14% 47%
22%
1%
14%

47. Professional Likely to Assist
Corporate Respondents with Site Search
(U.S. vs. International Site Search)
United States
International
1%
30%
12%
10%
53%
24%
1% 15%
26%
19%
Accountant Lawyer Site Selection Consultant Real Estate Broker Other

48. Best And Worst Places For Business

49. Please indicate the three U.S. states with
business climates you perceive as
MOST FAVORABLE.

50. Most Favorable Business Climates
1. TEXAS 49.7%
2. FLORIDA 18.1%
3.
GEORGIA
NORTH CAROLINA
TIE 17.6%

51. Most Favorable Business Climate
(Responses over Time)
2014 2011 2008 2005 2002 1999 1996
Texas
50%
Texas
49%
Texas
41%
Texas
33%
Texas
25%
Texas
30%
North
Carolina
33%
Florida
18%
North
Carolina
27%
North
Carolina
30%
North
Carolina
26%
North
Carolina
20%
California
22%
Texas
28%
Georgia;
North
Carolina (tie)
17%
South
Carolina
14%
Georgia
20%
South
Carolina
20%
South
Carolina
18%
North
Carolina
20%
Georgia
27%
South
Carolina
12%
Tennessee
14%
Florida;
Tennessee
(tie)
15%
Georgia
18%
Florida
18%
Georgia
17%
South
Carolina
21%
Tennessee
11%
Florida
14%
Nevada
14%
Nevada
16%
Georgia
15%
Florida
14%
Tennessee
20%

52. Please indicate the three U.S. states with
business climates you perceive as
LEAST FAVORABLE.

53. Least Favorable Business Climates
1. CALIFORNIA 74%
2. NEW YORK 42%
3. ILLINOIS 34%

54. Least Favorable Business Climate
(Responses over Time)
2014 2011 2008 2005 2002 1999 1996
California
74%
California
71%
California
72%
California
66%
California
57%
New York
29%
New York
55%
New York
42%
New York
47%
New York
42%
New York
34%
New York
36%
California
25%
California
47%
Illinois
34%
Illinois
24%
Michigan
17%
Mass.
22%
Mass.
18%
Mass.
19%
New
Jersey
20%
New
Jersey
16%
New
Jersey
24%
New
Jersey
14%
New
Jersey
21%
New
Jersey
15%
New
Jersey
14%
Mass.
19%
Mass.
11%
Michigan
16%
Mass.
12%
Illinois
13%
Florida
10%
Conn.
10%
Conn.
9%

55. The International Perspective

56. What part of the world represents the
best INTERNATIONAL GROWTH
opportunity for your company?

57. Part of the World with the Best
International Growth Opportunity
Eastern Europe
Middle East
Asia/Pacific
Western Europe
Latin America
Africa - 0%
41%
19%
29%
5%
5%

58. Part of the World with the Best International Growth
Opportunity (Responses based on Industry)
Manufacturing Executives Responses
50%
21%
18%
8%
3%
Services Executives Responses
20%
28%
8%
40%
3%
Asia / Pacific Eastern Europe Latin America
Middle East Western Europe Africa - 0%

59. Part of the World with the Best International Growth
Opportunity (Responses based on Company Size)
Large Company Responses
50%
22%
6%
20%
Midsize Company Responses
32%
38%
17%
8%
6%
2%
Asia / Pacific Eastern Europe Latin America
Middle East Western Europe Africa - 0%

60. If you are exploring international
investment in the next three years,
what COUNTRIES do you believe
offer the strongest investment
opportunities for your company?

61. Countries with the Strongest
International Investment Opportunities
1. China 30%
2. United Kingdom 22%
3. Germany 20%
4. India 17%
5. Brazil 14%

62. What are the primary drivers
for your company’s
INTERNATIONAL expansion?

63. Drivers for International Expansion
Market access
Cost savings
Workforce/talent pool
Technology/product partnership
Other
35%
28%
28%
7%
44%

64. Best Economic Development Organizations

65. Best Regional/Community
Economic Development Organizations

66. Best State-Level
Economic Development Organizations

67. 5 Key Takeaways
1. Economic developers’ role as “facilitators” – assisting
both corporate executives and site selection
consultants – is not diminishing as feared in the 2011
survey.
2. Getting credible third parties – industry peers, the
news media and national rankings – to share
“favorable things about your community,” is the key to
influencing perceptions about business climate.
3. The Internet and an organization’s website is now
considered the single most effective marketing
technique.

68. 5 Key Takeaways
4. Real estate brokers play an important role in site
selection; economic developers should put greater
resources into reaching this audience.
5. The Lone Star State continues to stand alone when it
comes to being recognized for its business climate.

69. Two Ways to Get the Report
1. Print …Share your
business card with
Andy or Dariel
2. Electronic…Visit
www.aboutdci.com.

70. Q.
A.