Over the last several decades, many large manufacturers have moved to north carolina, or expanded operations there, generating a sort of economic resurgence, particularly in metropolitan areas. Many north carolina counties still recruit companies from outside--the classic "buffalo hunt" style of economic growth. Concerns about taxes, labor, transportation, and quality of life are often mentioned as factors in the siting decision. However, less is known about these companies once arrived, or companies that sited in north carolina in earlier years, or their subsequent satisfaction with their decisions. This study reports on a 1989 survey of north carolina manufacturers that focuses on manufacturing siting decisions and the role of transportation in site satisfaction. A representative sample of 504 manufacturers in north carolina answered a 5-page questionnaire about present manufacturing inputs and outputs, modes of shipment, company size and unionization, concerns about the present site, and suggestions for policy actions that would improve site satisfaction. Over 93% of respondents were satisfied with their present locations; many cited good labor supply, transportation access, lack of unions, and lower taxes as reasons for the choice. Transportation factors also rated high in site satisfaction. Of major concerns, manufacturers were most worried about the quality, trainability, and availability of labor, particularly public school education, work attitudes of workers, crime rates, utility service, and environment. Concern about more transportation access ranked lower on the list of 34 items. The findings varied somewhat by region or industry group, but nowhere did strong concerns for transportation surface. The study concludes that transportation access in north carolina is presently good in the manufacturers' eyes--a real plus--allowing them to be more concerned about fundamental labor and worker attitude issues, which are seen as a real threat to the competitive economic future of the state. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1305, Finance, planning, programming, economic analysis, and land development 1991.
Abstract