[viewer5]

Businesses exist to make money, not just to give people in power a place to harumph about. More productivity IS important, because without that, businesses are losing out on potential income, and that's not what businesses like to do.

[GFischer]

However, there are huge agency problems between the stated goals of a business (mainly, to make money for its shareholders), and the CEOs interests - where ego, power, and making money for himself might be more important than long-term decisions involving productivity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theory_of_the_firm

Apparently most relocations are closer to the CEOs home, for example:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8604202

New buildings are also monuments to the CEO (or President, or whatever authority builds it).

[programminggeek]

You'd be surprised how much ego can factor into decisions that are about "making more money" or "making the business more productive". Things like saving face, not wanting to look stupid, or wanting to look cool to impress friends is a huge part of business.

[Florin_Andrei]

> Businesses exist to make money

That's the perspective of the owner at the very top.

> just to give people in power a place to harumph about

That's the perspective of the management crowd.