BMW and a business location activity

I was reading today that BMW i8 engines are to be built in Birmingham. Why would the German-based car maker want to produce engines in the UK? What’s brought them here?

I often find this is a great induction session for students who are new to Business Studies, or those progressing from AS to A2 and are looking to apply their knowledge and understanding.

You might like to read through the article above and pick out the reasons that the author identifies as BMW’s main motivations.
I sometimes show a FlowingData clip tracking the growth of Walmart across America and ask the same sort of question: what factors could account for the pattern of growth as the retailer spreads across the states?
Another question to ponder is the general merits of the UK as a business location. What might draw businesses here and why? That’s a more open, less specific question than the BMW example.
Perhaps a local focus might be more relevant or interesting to you. Because I live in Norwich, I like navigating through the Invest in Norfolk site promoted by Norfolk County Council. Does your local council provide a similarly compelling list of reasons for firms to invest in your neighbourhood? Other East of England locations like Cambridge get plenty of coverage in the national press with their ‘Silicon Fen’ tag line.