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Over the last decade, the dependence on fossil fuels and their prices has been increasingly discussed. This paper aimed to assess the development of fossil fuel prices and their relationship to GDP in the Czech Republic. To achieve this objective, a VAR model and Granger causality test were used. All fossil fuel prices peaked in 2022. The causal relationship with GDP in the Czech Republic was confirmed for natural gas and coal prices. On the other hand, the causal relationship between oil and GDP in the Czech Republic was not confirmed during the period under study. Weak correlations were found with the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation, and unemployment in the EU. The only exception is the correlation between coal and inflation in the EU, which was moderately strong. A limitation of the paper is the length of the period studied, with data collection taking place only once a month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper focuses on the evaluation of the impact of the use of compensation bonuses during a pandemic on the economic situation of companies. Methods: In order to achieve this objective, a primary quantitative survey in the form of a questionnaire survey was conducted in Czech enterprises and two research questions were set. The research questions were answered by testing four hypotheses, which focused on testing the relationship between the use of compensation bonuses and the nature of the change in the economic situation of the enterprise in terms of sector, size and prevailing business relationship. The parametric two-sample onefactor ANOVA and Pearson's Chi-squared test were used to test the hypotheses. Main findings: The results showed that the use of compensation bonuses was associated with a negative change in the economic situation of the firms. Differences in the magnitude of the effect were observed in terms of the prevailing business relationship and the size of the enterprises. The business sector did not affect the strength of the association between bonus use and change in economic situation. Limitations of the paper: the paper focuses on observing the short-term trend and is limited to Czech enterprises during the pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are highly important for producing highvalue-added innovative and intermediary goods and play a crucial role in being suppliers of large enterprises, their financial restraints cause them to encounter problems regarding their internationalization process and financial performance. As a dynamic capability of Resourcebased View theory (RBV), the usage of marketing communication tools (MCTs) by SMEs, such as social media (SM), websites, telemarketing, direct mail, SMS campaigns, and Google Adwords, increases the competitiveness of SMEs and might enable them to reduce their financial performance and export concerns. However, the usage of these tools can differ depending on the firm's country of origin since countries have various socio-economic and cultural conditions that affect the competitiveness of firms and their marketing communication approaches to their export and financial performance. In this regard, this paper aims to find international differences in the impact of the usage of MCTs on export and financial performance. This paper examines 1221 SMEs from Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary for this aim. The researchers created an online questionnaire to collect data from randomly selected respondents in the research sample. The researchers also ran Binary Logistic Regression analyses for analysis purposes. Although this paper confirms international differences in the impact of MCTs on the export of SMEs, the effect of SM usage on the financial performance of SMEs does not differ depending on the SMEs' country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigration became an especially thorny and publicly discussed issue with the so-called Refugee Crisis beginning in 2015. The stance of the Czech and Polish governments was dominated by strong anti-Muslim and anti-immigration rhetoric. Still, both countries have witnessed a steady increase in mainly short-term immigration from various Asian countries such as Bangladesh or Pakistan ever since. This paper analyses Czech and Polish migration policies against the backdrop of a historically constructed notion of anti-illegal immigration policy, and category of temporary migration, coupled with the problematic nature of debt-financed migration in Asia. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork in Czechia and Poland (2018-2021), in-depth and semi-structured interviews with migration experts, academic and grey literature, official documents, and the method of Accidental ethnography, this paper argues that silencing of actual labor immigration in political communication while employing anti-migration rhetoric represents a discursive gap typical for liberal democracies. It further concludes that rendering migrant labor as a temporary commodity and turning a blind eye on recruitment of international migrants represents a continuity practice of migrant labor subordination within the nation-state, originating during colonialism and the advent of capitalism in the nineteenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conspiracy theories spread through social and other media often bringing easy explanations of events that cannot be easily explained. Beliefs in conspiracy theories may lead to simplified and radical viewpoints that can negatively influence one's behavior and actions. The paper analyzes the association between beliefs in popular conspiracy theories spread through social media and work performance using the results of an authors' test of conspiracy theories applied to a sample of 178 students of the Faculty of Military Leadership, University of Defence in Brno, Czech Republic. The students were selected as representatives of high-profile professions that should be trained to deal with potential disinformation and conspiracy theories. The assumption was that the students would be generally immune to the impact of conspiracy theories. The analysis did not confirm a hypothesis that individuals with top work performance are less prone to beliefs in conspiracy theories than individuals with solid/poor work performance. The findings confirm the necessity to systematically train people working in high-profile professions to work with available information and deal with potential disinformation and conspiracy theories. The findings are useful in the HR management practice of organizations that care about the professional qualities of their people and encourage further research on the origin, spread, and impact of conspiracy theories in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper was to evaluate the price development of electrical energy and inflation as a commodity in the course of the past 10 years. The production of electrical energy decreased from 83.7 TWh in 2010 to 70.6 TWh in 2020 in the Czech Republic in accordance with the results achieved by using the methods of descriptive statistics, time series, correlation analysis and regression analysis. The consumption of energy slightly increased. The proportion of production to consumption declined and consumption was higher than production in 2020. The prices of electricity reveal oscillations influenced by the conflict in the Ukraine. The use of the sources of energy changed, however, without specific trends. The dependence of prices on inflation is considerable and direct. Energy policy ought to deal with the dependence on import and support the domestic production of energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the integration of the Professional Capability Framework (PCF) in England's social work education and its potential applicability in the Czech Republic. As England has advanced its social work training through holistic approaches and continuous professional development [1], this paper explores the feasibility of adapting such reforms to enhance the Czech educational system. By conducting a comparative analysis, the research identifies gaps in the Czech framework and suggests tailored adaptations from the English model. This streamlined examination not only furthers the international discourse on social work education but also proposes actionable strategies for cross-cultural educational enhancements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smartphones have become part of our everyday life. But what to do with our old device when we want a new one? Everyone will deal with this question differently and this paper aims to present the most used approaches and the reasoning behind them as well as pros and cons of each approach. The study is done by using an analysis of research conducted by the Czech Statistical Office on the topic of sustainability in ICT on respondents over the age of 16 in 4.5 million households. The results can help smartphone companies understand how their products are disposed of once replaced by another model and help us understand the effects and potential risks this might have on our environment. The targeted research area is the Czech Republic. By comparing age categories, we get the results that the most common option is to keep the old phone at home if the new one breaks, this option was chosen by 46,9 % of respondents. Other favorite options are sending it for recycling which chose 17,5 % or selling it with the results being 14,9 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on cross-border cooperation in Europe is predominated by the analysis of the European Union (EU) INTERREG Programmes' results, while other support funds are often neglected. To fill this research gap, the authors undertook the research on cross-border cooperation of the area-based partnerships (Local Action Groups – LAGs) from Poland and the Czech Republic, financed by the Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) 2014–2020. The main purpose of our paper is to identify the rationales for cooperation, strategies to find partners, the scope of activities and obstacles in implementing the joint projects. The qualitative research involved a content analysis of LAG documents and interviews with LAG managers. The actions in twelve identified cooperation projects were mainly related to local traditions, inventory and the promotion of local products and services, the development of tourism and environmental issues. The respondents have emphasised that these actions required separate financing by national RDPs following different administrative rules, even though when constituting the components of a single project. The bureaucratic restrictions resulted in a clear asymmetry of LAGs activities, manifested in a lower involvement of the Czech LAGs. As a result, many projects can be considered as highly unilateral, solely national rather than genuinely international, which has not been the intention of the LAG managers, however. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flood maps are a crucial component of integrated flood risk management. While their key role is commonly acknowledged by experts and scholars, however, literature and findings on the practical utilization of flood maps (including the user' experiences) within the processes of governance are scarce. Our study aims to contribute to closing this gap; by focusing on the Czech local government bodies, data collected through a questionnaire survey allowed us to examine (a) how, or whether at all, the officials employ flood maps in their agendas; (b) how do they experience and assess working with the maps; and (c) which data would they supplement the extant flood maps by. Our findings show that the praxis of local flood-related governance in the Czech Republic still largely neglects the up-to-date approaches and practices of flood risk management. The officials addressed mostly continue to rely on the earliest type of floodplain maps and purely technical aspects of floods, while largely omitting the newer flood danger and risk maps; thus, they are also missing the opportunities of applying multi-criteria assessment of the flood risk and more effective communication with the public. The paper concludes with a set of suggestions for relevant praxis and future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper intervenes in current discussions within post-phenomenological geography. It analyzes the movement of people with visual impairments in order to develop an approach to post-phenomenology that emphasizes the in-betweenness of bodies in motion. Our perspective differs from phenomenological (and humanistic) geographies and from post-phenomenological geographies that are rooted in object-oriented ontology. They both rely on the differentiation between space and place, accept pointillism, treat places as points in space, time as exclusively chronological, and bodies as beings, not becomings. We analyze data from interviews with people with visual impairments. We first consider their movement through the perspective of humanistic (particularly phenomenological) geography. After acknowledging the limits of this approach, we turn to our actualized conception of post-phenomenological geography, which draws on Deleuze's concepts of movement, path, refrain, and involuntary memory. With this conceptual repertoire, we go beyond the space-place dichotomy and highlight the in-betweenness and virtuality of movement. We explore difference-producing repetitions, which are constituted through refraining into paths. Our approach conceptualizing movement as "refraining into paths" is instrumental to studying the movement of people with visual impairment: It helps to dispute ableism, and it enriches the current discussion about post-phenomenological geography in its insistence on relations and becoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the in situ spores of the Calamospora type, macerated from sixty-one specimens of calamitean cones belonging to sixteen species of genera, such as the Palaeostachya, Macrostachya, Calamostachys, and Huttonia from the Pennsylvanian Czech Republic period, specifically from the Moscovian/Kasimovian ages (i.e., Duckmantian-Stephanian). The in situ spores were compared to twenty dispersed species of Calamospora. The majority of spores were microspores; however, some cones yielded both micro- and megaspores. Morphological variations of the in situ spores, including the diameter, labrum, contact area, ontogenetic stages, and secondary folds of the exine, are described, including their importance for the classification of calamospores. The relationships of Elaterites, Pteroretis, Vestispora, and some monopseudosaccate spores are discussed. All Paleozoic Calamospora-producing parent plants are summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture represents one of the most important economic activities that co-creates the qualities of landscapes. While topics such as food production, land utilization, or the development of rural regions are typically taken into account when analysing agriculture, regionally differentiated media portrayals of agriculture constitute a largely innovative approach. The main objective of this paper is to analyse and interpret agriculture-oriented news about individual self-governing regions in Czechia that were broadcasted in the framework of the national TV reporting. The paper is conceived as a historical study of the creation of the image of agriculture in the period from 2004 to 2011, which we define as the period of adaptation of Czech agriculture to the EU. The article includes both quantitative and qualitative dimensions. In summary, the media portrayals of agriculture largely differ from real conditions in Czech self-governing regions. Important themes, such as common agricultural policy or organic farming, have been mostly ignored within regionally focused national TV coverage. On the contrary, TV news is typically focused on one or a few phenomena of unusual or negative character, which is consistent with the gatekeeping conception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation vouchers are a tool of innovation policy, which aims to initiate cooperation between different actors, particularly between the business and research entities. The paper compares the implementation of vouchers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Its objective is to compare the policy approaches to innovation vouchers in two countries in Central Europe which have a shared history, but which, at some point, went their own way. Vouchers in Czechia have a longer tradition and were first initiated at the regional level. In Slovakia, vouchers were only implemented at the national level and with a lower budget. The research confirmed the persistent differences in the innovation policies and the more proactive approach in Czechia. The paper's contribution also lies in the focus on transitive economies, which have received less research attention so far. Implications for the design of innovation policies in countries with emerging innovation systems are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of the paper is to present the results of a qualitative research that mapped the situation in the field of institutional education in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. In the paper we will introduce the system of institutional education in the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic and describe the most important legislation. At the end of the paper, we will discuss the findings that we have observed during our research. We will point out the common areas and the most significant differences. Our paper will offer an opportunity to better understand the specifics of each system of institutional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with problems of papers degradation by reason of acidity with reference to the legal duty of libraries to preserve papers funds for the future generations. In lots of efforts to protect its collections, the Moravian library study all the preservative technology including of the mass deacidification technology. The merit of this text is a summarization of project efforts of the Moravian library and the National archives make up the papers protection to deacidification technology in the Czech Republic. The article warms that the acidity of paper research and its conservation depends fully on political environment and the sufficient financial resources. In short there is technique demonstrated that was considered as a purchase for libraries and archives in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to propose a typology of Czech consumers with respect to their attitudes toward the country of origin when purchasing beverages. Attention is paid to four commonly purchased beverage categories: beer, wine, tea and coffee. Using the Computer Assisted Web Interviewing method, the total number of fully completed questionnaires obtained was 396. The selection of respondents was determined by gender and age quotas. The measurement of attitudes involved utilizing a set of 22 statements concerning the beverage origin which were evaluated on a five-point scale. As confirmed by the research results, in each beverage category, the country of origin influences consumers' purchasing decisions differently. When purchasing wine, Czech consumers most commonly verify the country from which it originates. The origin is also important to them when it comes to beer, with the strongest preference for beer produced in their own country. The country from which the beverage originates has a considerably lower importance for coffee and is the least important when buying tea. Based on respondents' attitudes toward the country of beverage origin, four consumer segments were identified, namely "Experimenters," "Picky consumers," "Patriots," and "Pro-European consumers." Factor and cluster analysis were used for this purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also implemented in agriculture, where larger agricultural holdings have a higher influence. We focused on them and situated our study to a country with a large average farm acreage -- the Czech Republic. The aim of the paper is to assess to what extent large agricultural holdings perceive socially responsible behaviour as being important and how it is manifested in their relationship to the stakeholders and the behaviour in economic, social and environmental areas using Carroll's pyramid and concept of 3 'P'. It is also examined if the higher perception of CSR influences the assets. Firms were grouped according to the perceived CSR by a cluster analysis. The highest economic responsibility in cluster 1 corresponded to the relatively high value of the assets, but the highest was in cluster 2 and 3 with important legal and ethical responsibilities. Cluster 4 had the lowest CSR, the same as the value of the assets, but further investigation is needed. The most important stakeholders were the owners and employees, but also the range of activities was provided for the locals. CSR and the importance of the stakeholders in large Czech agricultural holdings were highly perceived, especially on an economic level and in the social area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive description of preserved copper plates used for map printing in order to enrich the existing knowledge and, at the same time, contribute with new knowledge on the topic of the engraving of old maps. The dimensions, thickness, and weight of individual printing plates were measured. Qualitative indicators of the material were also examined. Printing plates originating from countries north of the Alps (former Czech lands) and from Mediterranean regions (Malta and Italy) are represented. For the purpose of the study, the term printing plate refers to a copperplate on which the engraving was made using the burin or line etching technique. These are some of the oldest reproduction techniques used for printing old maps. The period studied covers the 18th century, approximately. Studies dealing with a large set of printing plates and their classification are rather an exception (Hameleers 1989). The issue of the qualitative properties of printing plates has not yet been comprehensively addressed in the literature focusing on the history of cartography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review aims to explore the role of professional diagnostic rapid testing of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), especially COVID-19 and influenza, ensuring proper disease management and treatment in Europe, and particularly in Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. The paper was constructed based on a review of scientific evidence and national and international policies and recommendations, as well as a process of validation by four experts. The development of new testing technologies, treatment options, and increased awareness of the negative multidimensional impact of ARI profiles transformed differential diagnosis into a tangible and desirable reality. This review covers the following topics: (1) the multidimensional impact of ARIs, (2) ARI rapid diagnostic testing platforms and their value, (3) the policy landscape, (4) challenges and barriers to implementation, and (5) a set of recommendations illustrating a path forward. The findings indicate that rapid diagnostic testing, including at the point of care (POC), can have a positive impact on case management, antimicrobial and antibiotic stewardship, epidemiological surveillance, and decision making. Integrating this strategy will require the commitment of governments and the international and academic communities, especially as we identified room for improvement in the access and expansion of POC rapid testing in the focus countries and the inclusion of rapid testing in relevant policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change has become a necessary condition for any organisation to operate successfully in the market while meeting the ever-changing demands of all stakeholders. There is simply no other way to survive the intense competition and frequent changes that occur in the market. Only organizations that are able to respond to change, learn faster and move forward gain more expertise to better face the challenges brought about by changes in the business environment. The aim of this paper is to identify what changes organisations have made in recent years and how they manage these changes. To achieve this aim, five research questions are formulated in the area of change management in the business environment of the Czech Republic. Despite progress in implementing change, some companies are still reluctant to consider strategic changes and pursue only process improvements such as performance management, restructuring or process redesign of functional areas instead. The results also indicate that some companies are rather slow to implement change, starting with planning and attempting to change the management of the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impact of company size on the application of human resources (HR) investments. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to 610 SMEs in the Czech Republic. Properly completed questionnaires were obtained from 581 enterprises. The data were evaluated using the Chi-square test of independence, Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and analysis of variance. Research questions were divided into four groups. The first group examined the application of HR investments as a reward, and the second group as a tool for increasing the interest in employment with the company. Another group focused on human capital management (HCM) and its impact on corporate financial performance. The last group dealt with HCM to improve the competitive advantage and the market position of the company. The results show that company size has a significant impact on the application of HC investments. In all groups, large enterprises (150+ employees) make investments to a greater extent than smaller companies. As for sector, the highest rating was recorded for companies operating in logistics and transport. The overall evaluation shows that large companies use the items more often, and no significant differences were recorded between different sectors. The findings may help large enterprises to realize that investment in human capital is long-term, increases competitiveness, and generates indirect returns. Small enterprises can also make investments in human capital, although to a limited extent, and it is not advisable to totally avoid such investments. The limitations are in the selected research method, the number of questions and respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector faces a pressing need for significant transformation to curb CO2 emissions. For instance, Czechia and Germany have taken steps to phase out fossil thermal power plants by 2038, opting instead for a greater reliance on variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. Nonetheless, thermal power plants will still have roles, too. While the conventional multistage axial turbine design has been predominant in large-scale power plants for the past century, it is unsuitable for small-scale decentralized projects due to complexity and cost. To address this, the study investigates less common turbine types, which were discarded as they demonstrated lower efficiency. One design is the Elektra turbine, characterized by its velocity compounded radial re-entry configuration. The Elektra turbine combines the advantages of volumetric expanders (the low rotational speed requirement) with the advantages of a turbine (no rubbing seals, no lubrication in the working fluid, wear is almost completely avoided). Thus, the research goal of the authors is the implementation of a 10 kW-class ORC turbine driving a cost-effective off-the-shelf 3000 rpm generator. The paper introduces the concept of the Elektra turbine in comparison to other turbines and proposes this approach for an ORC working fluid. In the second part, the 1D design and 3D–CFD optimization of the 7 kW Elektra turbine working with Hexamethyldisiloxane (MM) is performed. Finally, CFD efficiency characteristics of various versions of the Elektra are presented and critically discussed regarding the originally defined design approach. The unsteady CFD calculation of the final Elektra version showed 46% total-to-static isentropic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a quantitative assessment of the production efficiency of the forestry sector in EU countries, which is largely neglected in the literature. Only a few studies have been conducted so far, processing data mainly in the first half of the last decade. In contrast to these studies, in this article we focus on the period between 2016 and 2020. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to compare the efficiency of the forest sector to fill the gap. The empirical results of this study show that the leaders in this sector are Germany, Finland, and the Czech Republic. These countries are fully efficient throughout the period under review. In contrast, Bulgaria lags far behind, with an efficiency score typically around 35%. The results of the cluster analysis show that although countries have similar characteristics, their efficiency scores are not necessarily at the same level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a simulation assessment of the impact of the introduction of ETCS L2 and L3 on the capacity of railway lines. The simulation itself is carried out in the OpenTrack simulation software, especially in the tool headway calculator. For this research, an infrastructure model has been built, which represents a typical layout of lines and stations in the Czech Republic. By successive modifications of the model, the significance of the impact of the implementation of ATP systems on the capacity of lines can be simulated. In the paper, the influence of the implementation of different application levels of ATP systems on the capacity of railway lines is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the history of two-axle rail vehicles (rail buses) used for operation on regional lines in Czechoslovakia. It also shows trends in the development of modern light autonomous rolling stocks usable for passenger transport on unprofitable regional lines in Western Europe. The measures adopted in the transport policy of the Czech Republic for the period 2021-2027 for regional railway vehicles in the Czech Republic are presented. The final part of the paper presents the results of study of the concepts of a two-axle hybrid and electric rail buses and a conceptual design of a modular solution of a partially low-floor vehicle BEMU and HEMU for passenger regional rail transport. This paper shows that it is very problematic to create a light rail vehicle (LVR) that will be economical and environmentally friendly for regional transport and at the same time will meet the requirements of standards ČSN EN 12 663, category P2 and ČSN EN 15 227, category C I and will be friendly to road users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the sleeper substructure design for a speed of 200 kph according to the Czech SŽ S4 standard. The paper includes the design of sub-ballast and capping layers. The second part of the paper is focused on transition area design. The conclusion brings recommendations of alterations which would be appropriate to incorporate into the standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The review paper presents the main research topics of the XVIIIth INQUA Congress from selected sessions with contributions from the Czech participants.the results of Czech papers are highlighted and discussed in relation to progress in Quaternary research. Discussed are advances in topical subjects of international studies of Quaternary palaeoenvironments and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate how the economic prosperity of regions affects the polarization of political representation, and thus of society. It examines whether economically prosperous regions, represented by economic well-being, show lower political polarisation, and whether regions with lower levels of economic prosperity are more likely to elect polarised and extreme political representatives. The paper focuses on the period from the establishment of the Czech Republic in 1993, to the last elections in 2021 in the NUTS 3 regions of the Czech Republic. Evidence was provided through a determination of the effect of economic well-being, defined by three indicators, i.e., gross domestic product per capita, unemployment, and disposable income per capita, on the development of a created political polarisation index. This index is based on the left-right ideological party division combined with election results for the Chambers of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic of regional districts. Sociodemographic indicators of the development of the individual regions were used as control variables. These include the average population, share of the universityeducated population, age indicators, population density of a given region, voter turnout in a specific election year, and various positions in the institutional setting of the Czech Republic. The most significant components of economic wellbeing that influence the development of polarisation are the growth of disposable income and unemployment. This is demonstrated through a quantitative economic analysis of the panel dataset using the least squares with fixed effects method that uses time-fixed and region-fixed effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visibility observations and accurate forecasts are essential in meteorology, requiring a dense network of observation stations. This paper investigates image processing techniques for object detection and visibility determination using static cameras. It proposes a comprehensive method that includes image preprocessing, landmark identification, and visibility estimation, mirroring the observation process of professional meteorological observers. This study validates the visibility observation procedure using the k-nearest neighbors machine learning method across six locations, including four in the Czech Republic, one in the USA, and one in Germany. By comparing our results with professional observations, the paper demonstrates the suitability of the proposed method for operational application, particularly in foggy and low visibility conditions. This versatile method holds potential for adoption by meteorological services worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises the factors influencing consumer purchasing decisions and the changes that these factors have undergone over the last 15 years. The research aimed to determine what changes have occurred in the intensity of the traditional factors influencing consumers' purchasing decisions over the past 15 years and to identify the new factors currently shaping consumers' purchasing decisions. The research was carried out by means of a questionnaire survey conducted in the Czech Republic (N = 686). The survey results were subjected to descriptive statistics combined with multivariate exploratory factor analysis. The paper presents the results of an empirical analysis that showed that between 2007 and 2022, there were no significant changes in consumers' perceived importance of traditional factors influencing their purchasing decisions in different categories of consumption. The research has confirmed that consumers perceived quality, price and necessity as the most important factors across the different categories, while advertising was still the least important. However, the perceived importance of advertising has increased slightly in some shopping categories, such as clothing and footwear and transport, along with the perceived importance of discounts. However, new factors have emerged to influence consumers before making a purchase decision. The clothing and footwear category was selected for detailed factor analysis because consumers assigned more importance to the emerging factors here than other purchase categories. By applying factor analysis, the authors identified five determinants of consumer decision-making in purchasing clothing and footwear categories, including new and traditional factors. The first determinant was the current trends in the market. The second determinant was recommendations, including recommendations from family, friends and professionals, together with the chance to try something new. The third purchase determinant was experience based on the consumer's previous experience, which also shaped the subsequently preferred parameters and product quality. The fourth determinant was pricing. The final determinant of the purchase decision was sustainability in both consumption and purchase. The research results are useful for market players, especially in the innovation of customer communication and company marketing management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the memoryscapes of Cieszyn Silesia, Orawa and Spisz in a context of the border conflicts of the twentieth century. The regions located on the current Czech-Polish and Slovak-Polish border have lived through paralleled histories of the border demarcation after WWI, which was unprecedented there. In both cases the national minorities were left behind the border, outside of their home states. Their stories and memories are, however, not being researched together. This paper contrasts the patterns of memory production related to the border shifts in the landscape in both regions. Emphasis is placed on the memory sites, their narratives and memory activism related to the conflicting past. The results show that the main axes of both memory debates are contrasting. While the conflict over Cieszyn Silesia was most shaped by the short war in 1919, the lesser-known dispute over Orawa and Spisz was marked by numerous smaller incidents, assimilation efforts and a layer of post WWII violence. This has important consequences for the memory production. The other important differentiating factor is the scope of memory activism inside of the national minority group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to carry out a comparative engineering-geological study of four different waste landfills using the evaluation criteria for the geological subsoil as a natural sealing barrier. The study evaluates 4 localities (Velké Pavlovice, Kvítkovice, Prakšice and Horní Suchá) using three variants (based on two standards) which approach the geological barrier requirements as a combination of impermeability requirements based on a filtration coefficient limit value. and the required geometry represented by investigation depths. The research was carried out in landfills in Moravia, in the east of the Czech Republic. The study's motivation is to point at the differences in engineering-geological investigations of waste landfills (as for the requirements for impermeable geological subsoil as a natural sealing barrier) when compared with other engineering structures (where the main goal is to evaluate load-bearing capacity and settlement). The purpose of the geological barrier is to prevent the spread of contamination, and the paper shows this can be approached differently, as shown in two different methodologies investigated herein. The first model (Model 1) assumes there is a 3-m-thick subsoil below the landfill's footing bottom, which manifests impermeability characterized by the filtration coefficient Kf ≤ 1.0 * 10–9 m/s, or a 30-m-thick subsoil of Kf ≤ 1.0 * 10–8 m/s. The second model (Model 2) assumes a 1-m thick, impermeable subsoil massif of Kf ≤ 1.0 * 10–9 m/s. We found that none of the landfills in the four selected localities had an impermeable layer in the required depth (a filtration coefficient Kf from 1.8 * 10–9 to 3.9 * 10–9 m/s), and thus did not comply with the limiting conditions. As a result, an anthropogenic technical barrier had to be installed. An important goal of the study from an environmental point of view was to assess the existence of a suitable geological barrier under the proposed landfills. The most important criterion from this point of view is permeability. An additional technical objective of the project was also the assessment of the possible creation of a technical anthropogenic isolation barrier. In the event that the natural sealing barrier would not be sufficient. This was shown in all solved case studies of engineering geological investigations of waste landfills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the difference between project and final prices of construction contracts in the public sector. The project price of construction contracts is usually created using price systems, while the final prices of contracts are based on the actual interest of construction companies in the implementation of a given contract, actual cost, and the state of the market for construction works and materials. The paper presents an analysis of a total of 1,021 construction contracts awarded by the public sector in the Czech Republic in 2019-2020. These contracts are divided according to the predominant nature of the work into three categories, namely demolition, reconstruction, and construction. The authors conclude that the project and final prices of construction contracts differ, both in terms of regional destination and the nature of the subject of the contract (construction, demolition, etc.). The biggest savings were found in contracts dealing with demolition work, where secondary income can be expected in the form of sales of secondary raw materials. Moderate savings are also achieved in the case of contracts concerning reconstruction or construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a discontinuity‐based analysis of the settlement pattern changes in the Czechia–Poland cross‐border historical region of Těšín Silesia. An approach based on a well‐known and popular method (regression discontinuity design) was applied to measure spatial discontinuity. To describe the spatiotemporal changes, a combination of spatial, statistical and cartographic methods was used. The observed differences have been developing for more than 150 years; at the start, this area belonged to the territory of one state, and later it was divided by a national border. The division of the region resulted in areas following different development trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In connection with renewable energy sources, the courtyards of the buildings provide space for the installation of agrivoltaics for sustainable development. This paper proposes the use of courtyards of low-rise buildings for agrivoltaics. This will increase the area for installing photovoltaic systems, which have so far only been installed on roofs or facades or on open fields. The advanced design of the photovoltaic systems will enable the dual use of the area both for the cultivation of crops and for the production of electricity at the same time. The increased amount of electricity produced in photovoltaic systems also contributes to reducing the carbon footprint. On the courtyard as well as on the open fields, it is possible to grow agricultural crops between rows of photovoltaic panels. The partial shading of seedlings during summer sunny days reduces their heat stress and slows down soil drying. Solar eclipses are rare, but their impact on electricity generation is significant. We evaluated the measured data and we assessed the electricity production and the influence of a solar eclipse on the electricity production in photovoltaic power plants in the Czech Republic. The daily loss in production depends on the size of the eclipse. A comparison of the annual electricity production in two selected PV power plants with the expected values according to PVGIS testifies to the quality of the construction and the PV panels used in both power plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to explore the influence of related variety on direct state-supported R&D cooperation across various geographical levels to understand regional performance differentiation and economic base restructuring in Czechia by employing Frenken et al.'s (2007) methodological approach to calculate a related and unrelated variety for all NACE and NACE C-Manufacturing. Findings indicate that the city of Prague has the highest unrelated and related variety, followed by the cities of Brno, Ostrava, and Pilsen. Calculation just for C-Manufacturing changes the ordering significantly. Furthermore, intra-regional and extra-regional pairwise R&D cooperation in joint projects is calculated. The cluster analysis of Czech microregional data (SO ORP) reveals patterns such as emerging collaborators and collaboration powerhouses. Linear regression analyses established a strong positive association between R&D collaboration intensity and related variety, while a negative link was observed with unrelated variety. Similar relationships were observed in the manufacturing sector (NACE-C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the productivity of Czech farms with dependence on their size and natural conditions. The methodological approach is based on the analysis of variance (ANOVA), which enables to assess whether there are significant differences between groups of farms with different size and from different locations in terms of their productivity and profitability. We use data from the FADN CZ database for the period 2015–2020 and show that very large and large farms reach substantially higher productivity in all regions, whatever the natural conditions are. Results confirmed that farms in areas without natural constrains achieve statistically significantly higher levels of all productivity indicators in comparison with farms located in areas with natural constraints. The results also showed that the agricultural policy is decisive for functioning of small farms. The subsidies have a greater effect on smaller farms than on their larger counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper in the form of short communication deals with the phenomenon of social farming. This is a form of involvement of disadvantaged people in the integration process through agricultural activities. Based on the results of documentary analysis and benchmarking method, we presented experiences from the other European countries. In the Czech Republic, the concept is not widespread, not anchored in legislation and not supported by the public administration. Our proposals were aimed at using existing legislative possibilities, not at proposals that require changes to legal standards or the focus of financial support in the form of subsidies. We propose to use certain tools, namely a social business model or cooperation between a social service provider and a farmer. Furthermore, it is a suitable form of business for public beneficial entities, namely associations and especially institutes. We see suitability in the way of tax optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a time-dependent reliability analysis created for a critical energy infrastructure use case, which consists of an interconnected urban power grid and a communication network. By utilizing expert knowledge from the energy and communication sectors and integrating the renewal theory of multi-component systems, a representative reliability model of this interconnected energy infrastructure, based on real network located in the Czech Republic, is established. This model assumes reparable and non-reparable components and captures the topology of the interconnected infrastructure and reliability characteristics of both the power grid and the communication network. Moreover, a time-dependent reliability assessment of the interconnected system is provided. One of the significant outputs of this research is the identification of the critical components of the interconnected network and their interdependencies by the directed acyclic graph. Numerical results indicate that the original design has an unacceptable large unavailability. Thus, to improve the reliability of the interconnected system, a slightly modified design, in which only a limited number of components in the system are modified to keep the additional costs of the improved design limited, is proposed. Consequently, numerical results indicate reducing the unavailability of the improved interconnected system in comparison with the initial reliability design. The proposed unavailability exploration strategy is general and can bring a valuable reliability improvement in the power and communication sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the paper was to assess safety of passenger cars sold in the Czech Republic in terms of the development of both active and passive safety features of cars sold between 2020-2022. Using content analysis aimed at collecting secondary data, the sales of passenger cars and their safety ratings were examined. Cluster analysis and neural networks were subsequently used to classify vehicles into selforganizing Kohonen maps, within which the movement between individual clusters was monitored. It was found that more than 25 % of vehicles sold between 2021 and 2022 changed their position compared to the year 2020. When taking into account vehicles newly introduced to the market, the average level of safety of vehicles sold compared to the year 2020. Further research could focus on a more detailed analysis of factors affecting safety on roads and their quantification for making better predictions and prevention of road accidents. It should be considered that vehicle safety ratings are based on a specific methodology and criteria and can vary significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, a number of experts in the Czech Republic and Slovakia are ceasing their activities. For many of them, the reason is mandatory examinations; in some other cases, it is, for example, the unclear liability of the expert witness along with large penalties for violation of given rules. The purpose of the paper is to define the fundamental parameters of expert witness liability in the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the light of the global trends in the field. The primary method to achieve this goal was content analysis. The data source used was legal documents, as well as opinions published in scholarly and expert publications. The liability of expert witnesses lies not only in the compliance with the set rules and standards but also in the ability to adapt to new challenges and ensure that their wok is as relevant and accurate as possible. Expert witnesses thus bear liability at multiple levels, including ethics, professional standards, legal obligations, and practical considerations. Nevertheless, there is no established judicial practice in this area in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global business literacy is generally considered one of the key competencies important for functioning in today's interconnected global business world. Despite some studies investigating its determinants carried out worldwide, findings related to Central Europe are rather scarce. The aim of this paper is to identify the effects especially of stay abroad experiences, but also other related factors on cultivation of global business literacy of university students. For this purpose, a total of 255 business students from the Czech Republic and Slovakia filled out the online questionnaire. The results of correlation and regression analysis showed that the most important factor for cultivating global business literacy is the completion of a course related to international business, followed by the intensity of interactions with foreigners. The stay abroad experiences significantly positively affect only the self-efficacy dimension of global business literacy. Overall, it appears that global business literacy can be well developed also through internalization activities at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the issue of motivation for military service in the Czech Armed Forces. It aims to map the Institutional-Occupational (I-O) motivations of the generation of Czech recruits currently starting their military career. The research sample consisted of 1557 recruits. Institutional preference was confirmed. The influence of gender, age, education, partner life and parenthood on these factors were also analyzed. From an institutional point of view, significant influence of age and education was found. From an occupational point of view, results showed, that again age, education and type of partnership cohabitation have a significant influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic management of SMEs is perceived as crucial backbone of their business, as it impacts their business models and internal processes all the way up to digital innovation measured by the level of digital maturity. How do the strategic management factors influence the digital maturity? Through quantitative analysis of 76 respondents representing SMEs in the Czech Republic, the research data was collected and statistically tested. Results imply that strategic management factors affect the level of digital maturity. This paper contributes to prior literature by practical implementation of modified digital maturity model and by addressing the correlation of strategic management factors and the level of digital maturity. Limitations springing from sample site and environment are addressed and discussion on the results is conducted. Author proposes a conclusion that strategic management factors can be perceived as a driver of digital transformation, emphasizing the need for future research and practical discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entomophagy as an alternative way of eating in the Czech Republic is gaining more and more supporters. For this reason, we have focused on the microbial quality of the insect dry powder made from Tenebrio molitor during storage. In the samples were determined the major groups of microorganisms by standard procedures. It is the total number of microorganisms, aerobic microorganisms thermoresistant, E. coli and other coliform bacteria, micromycetes and bacteria of the genus Enterococcus. The highest increase of total microorganisms occurred after five months storage in the sample stored in a paper bag and cold, where their number reached a value of 2.870 log CFU/g. For the same sample, coliform bacteria at the rate of 1.839 log CFU/g were also detected. The other monitored groups of microorganisms were in the samples at most in the order of tens of CFU/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the active labour market policy instrument called ‘chosen training’ (in Czech zvolené rekvalifikace), introduced to the Czech labour market policy in 2012. This new instrument allows the registered unemployed much more freedom to choose their supposed future career path by selecting the preferred profession for training and preferred training provider than traditional standard training programs. The added value of this paper is in the intentional linking of the provision of new measures with the assessment of impacts. The methodology of this text is based on quantitative program assessment. We used PES administrative data OK Práce for programmes implemented in 2016 and tracked the outcomes for 2016-2020. We compare a new instrument with more traditional training programs that continue to be provided alongside the new tool. We concluded that chosen training provided better results than standard training, and we addressed some of the reasons behind the perceived difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant and supported trend toward the achievement of ensuring continuous door-to-door travel in the pan-European transport network. Many innovative programs are dedicated to this topic through assigned projects. This paper is based on the concrete partial results of the H2020 project Shift2Rail IP4 to support the deployment of mobility as a service (IP4MaaS). Attitudes towards travel for demonstration sites were assessed based on the outputs of a sample of respondents from two countries. Cooperation in working on the IP4MaaS project was also provided by a partner from Slovakia (UNIZA) and the Czech Republic (OLTIS). Mathematical statistical tools were used to evaluate the available data to find a connection with promoting mobility as a service. This paper aims to identify differences in travelers' needs with a focus on using applications using two-step cluster analysis. The research resulted in the identification of differences in traffic behavior within MaaS activities when comparing different clusters reflecting preferences for using a website or mobile application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having abandoned mine workings, the closure strategy of mine working openings is important in terms of maintaining long-term stability. The paper describes the process of closing the mine workings in the uranium deposit Rožná using unconsolidated backfill. Before backfilling, it is vital to carry out preparatory work underground for ecological, technological or economic reasons. The mine workings backfilling using unconsolidated backfill is preceded by calculations to determine the quantity of the backfill. The stability of the mine workings opening is achieved using a closing sinking platform made of reinforced concrete. The abandonment procedure is framed within the legislation of the Czech Republic, grounded in the handbook by the National Coal Board of Great Britain (NCB, 1982), and has been gradually amended according to the experience with disused mine workings. The Czech legislation dealing with mine abandonment is very advanced and may be applied to modify foreign legislation. The abandonment procedure based on Decree 52 (1997) proposed in this paper is complemented by safety features such as micropilots in the sinking platform or shaft lining check-up before the backfill. The proposed method is applicable in mines with analogous specific conditions, such as mines free of gas hazards and coal dust. The paper concludes with an analysis of risks likely to occur due to incorrect mine closures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]