What is a BizCosts^Ū Report

       Simply put, a BizCostsŪ Report is the counterpart of a cost-of-living report.  A BizCostsŪ Report measures the comparative cost-of-doing business for a specific industry or distinct corporate function in a series of different geographic locations.  The focus of a BizCostsŪ Report may be a specific industry or industry group (plastics, food processing, aerospace, biotechnology, e.g.) or a particular corporate function (headquarters, R&D, distribution warehousing, customer service, e.g.).

      Costs included in a BizCostsŪ Report are termed geographically-variable, that is to say, those operating costs that vary significantly by geography. Depending on the BizCostsŪ Report, these geographically-variable costs include:  labor costs (by industry-specific job titles, both nonexempt and exempt positions); construction costs; lease costs (industrial, Class-A office, Class-B office, warehouse; research, e.g.); utilities (telecommunications, electric power, natural gas, water, e.g.); heating and air conditioning costs;  shipping costs (over-the-road, rail, air, e.g.); property taxes; sales taxes; land costs (industrial, commercial, office, e.g.); travel costs; and other costs that typically drive the corporate site selection process and dictate industry-wide competitiveness.

     Distinguishing the BizCostsŪ data bank is the fact that it is constantly being updated based on empirical research conducted in candidate cities.  It benefits from Boyd's 30 years of corporate site selection experience and client cost-positioning.  Feedback from Boyd clients and other sources in the field also augment the BizCostsŪ data bank.

     Operating costs in the BizCostsŪ Reports are annualized and scaled to a representative model operation.  The factor-by-factor format of the individual cost exhibits easily allows the user to tailor the BizCostsŪ data to reflect alternate scales of operation, staffing needs,  and growth expectations.  When off-shore locations are included, costs are presented in U.S. dollars.