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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]

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]

The development of the online environment resulted in the formation of the behavior of all subjects in the online and offline market. This paper responds to current changes that significantly shape the whole society. Therefore, this paper aims to identify changes in online shopping before and during the COVID-19 crisis. The paper is based on primary research in the form of a questionnaire survey among a selected group of respondents that assess the determinants influencing their online shopping decisions before and during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The research showed that the COVID-19 crisis was reflected in changes in respondents' online shopping behavior. Less than a third of respondents declared that they did not change their online shopping behavior during the COVID-19 crisis. The research showed that the frequency of online purchases had increased significantly (more than three times), as well as the percentage volume of goods purchased online. It can also be assessed that the COVID-19 crisis has an impact on future online shopping, and more than 40% of respondents do plan to shop online more after the COVID-19 crisis than during the crisis. However, the relationship between generational cohorts and changes in online shopping behavior before and during the COVID-19 crisis has been demonstrated. Online retailers should be prepared for these changes and should take these changes into account when designing and implementing their e-strategy and thus increase their competitiveness in e-commerce. [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 global COVID-19 pandemic has changed the behaviour of individuals and companies. This study aims to determine changes in the labour market behaviour of economically active individuals in the context of the pandemic and to identify competitive segments in this period. For this purpose, a representative survey (n = 3079) conducted in the Czech Republic was used. The paper's contribution is a perspective of individuals' behaviour and their perception of the situation. Based on subjective perceptions, respondents provided an assessment of their living situation before and during the pandemic, expressing their opinion on the importance of selected aspects of quality of life, such as their health, active social contacts, creation of financial savings, ability to pay bills, leisure time and coping with stressful situations. The results of a Wilcoxon test showed that individuals re-evaluated each aspect of life and that the pandemic changed the importance for all of them (except leisure time). This change is also reflected in their psyche, attitude towards work organisation, digitalisation and other factors; these were applied in a cluster analysis, which resulted in the identification of three segments in the group of employees in the labour market (competitive individuals, surviving individuals and those reluctant to respond to change). For the group of entrepreneurs, two segments emerged (flexible and loss-creating), while for the unemployed group, the typical segment can be described as dissatisfied and Covid victims. The names of these segments indicate their behaviour and provide possibilities for future use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of bankruptcies in the Czech Republic is closely related to the impact of the global financial economic crisis, which, among other things, has also affected the competitiveness of Czech companies to a great extent. The future state of overall company financial health can be determined through prediction models. This paper discusses the history of financial analysis and the most widely used models, with the main purpose of the paper to compare the accuracy of various prediction models and to decide which model has the highest prediction success rate. The sample consisted of the total of 90 Czech companies, out of which 1/2 were companies in bankruptcy and 1/2 were non-bankrupt companies. Ratio indicators of given models were calculated from balance sheets as well as profit and loss statements for a five-year period. The reliability of the accurate classification of accounting units is verified by a confusion matrix. The highest total success rate of classification was achieved by Zmijevski model, which had the highest predictive value. Another partial objective of the paper is to determine whether the accuracy rate of the bankruptcy models changes with branches within which the companies operate. The hypothesis about differences between the branches is confirmed. The most statistically significant differences were shown between Wholesale and Retail and the Processing Industry, with the results of models varying among different branches. The results show that taking into account the branches the company is operating in is advisable for selecting prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The personal income tax, which has a significant influence on total tax revenue, has been part of the Czech tax system since 1993. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the dependence of tax revenue on the personal income tax based upon a dependent activity related to tax relief for the taxpayer, namely the tax credit for children in the Czech Republic in the period of 2008 - 2017. Another objective is to analyze the dependence on the valorization of the tax reliefs and tax credit claims. The database of the Czech Statistical Office and the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic is used as a source of input data for the analysis. To achieve the objectives of the paper, methods of description, comparison, analysis, synthesis, as well as regression and correlation analyses are used. The results of the analysis show that the tax credit for children has a positive effect on tax revenue. The amount of the tax advantage for children has almost doubled in the last 11 years. On the other hand, general tax relief for all taxpayers has not been valorized since 2008. The existence of a certain non-taxable minimum is typical for personal income tax systems around the world tax, and the valorization in the Czech Republic did not show a negative impact on the tax system's competitiveness. Increasing the amount of deductions might be non-effective from the perspective of the state, but the results of this study show that the effect on personal income tax revenue in the Czech Republic is the opposite. The projected value and uniqueness of the article is not only in the analysis of dependencies of selected tax allowances upon each other, but also in the context of tax revenue and selected macroeconomics indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of a long-term rising focus on human resources as the essential for a competitiveness of organizations, human resource management intersects with marketing to help firms attract and retain potential employees. The existing literature, mainly referred to as employer branding, has been concerned primarily with the identification of relevant elements of the proposition of employer value, while several authors have pointed out the need to focus on relative elements. Therefore, the present research attempts to replicate a model by Sivertzen et al. (2013) which investigates factors regarding employer branding strategies, and to verify whether the predominant view of relevant elements might or might not be considered inadequate. We have replicated the model with the extension of different industries, and the paradigm was tested on two larger samples compared to the original paper. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to computer science students (337 responses) and students of economics (290) at universities in the Czech Republic. The findings indicate that several employer attractiveness attributes could have a positive relation to corporate reputation. However, results differ between industries. The validation of the employer attractiveness scale resulted in dimensions which are different than those in the original study, with new dimensions featuring different indicators proposed. A positive relation was found between the use of social media and corporate reputation, the use of social media with the intention of applying for a job, as well as corporate reputation in terms of the intention of applying for a job. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to comprehensively review the sources of design management, business prosperity and competitiveness. The study shows the current situation in Czech businesses. Furthermore, this paper also attempts to analyze and identify the awareness of companies concerning the relation to design as a condition for business prosperity. The primary aim of the research is to investigate design as a condition of prosperity in Czech businesses. A comprehensive review of the extant literature and journals identified several sources of design approach and various definitions of business prosperity. The research consists of two main parts. Firstly, a method of smart internet questionnaires designed by the author was used. After that, the data were analyzed using mosaic plot and elementary statistics calculations, and seeking mutual dependence, followed by a comparative method. Finally, the findings were processed by comparative study that aims to compare the years 2012 and 2014. The results of the research offer interesting findings. This paper identifies several interesting aspects regarding design within Czech companies, including the mindset of management (the insight gap of Czech businesses regarding design in their business). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper refers to the issues of diversity and inclusion because they represent a possible innovation in the field of management and business. Over the last years, there have appeared some organizations that take care of justice and supporting diversity in employment. This phenomenon is applicable to strategic management, human resource management and business, too. The labour market situation is ever-changing and brings new problems but also new challenges and opportunities for companies and their management how to increase their competitiveness. The main aim of this paper is to describe the opinion on diversity and inclusion of young people, specifically university and high school students of economic disciplines because they are potential managers or workers to occupy higher positions and their attitude could influence the future state of using diversity management and fair treatment with employees. Further aim is to work out a brief theoretical framework and to describe the current state of diversity and inclusion in the Czech Republic. In this paper, there are used methods as literature review, questionnaire survey, frequency comparison, Chi-squared test, and Mann-Whitney test. The paper includes work with secondary (statistical and theoretical) data but especially with primary data based on a questionnaire survey conducted by the author that is focused on exploring student's opinion on diversity, diversity management and benefits of using diversity in business, opinion on discrimination in the Czech Republic, or quotas for women in decision-making bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satisfaction is one of the key factors which influences customer loyalty. We assume that the satisfied customer will be willing to use the ssame service provider again. The overall passengers' satisfaction with public city transport may be affected by the overall service quality. Frequency, punctuality, cleanliness in the vehicle, proximity, speed, fare, accessibility and safety of transport, information and other factors can influence passengers' satisfaction. The aim of this paper is to quantify factors and identify the most important factors influencing customer satisfaction with public city transport within conditions of the Czech Republic. Two methods of analysis are applied in order to fulfil the aim. The method of factor analysis and the method Varimax were used in order to categorize variables according to their mutual relations. The method of structural equation modelling was used to evaluate the factors and validate the model. Then, the optimal model was found. The logistic parameters, including service continuity and frequency, and service, including information rate, station proximity and vehicle cleanliness, are the factors influencing passengers' satisfaction on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current level of strategic management tools and techniques utilization as well as to explore and identify the impact of management tools on organizational performance in the Czech Republic. The research paper is based on a questionnaire survey obtained from the 91 companies. This paper is one of the few studies which investigate the relationship between management tools and techniques and organizational performance. The findings show the level of management tools utilization and possibilities influencing performance. The study indicates that there is a positive significant relationship between management tools and techniques utilization and organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative activity is an important source of competitiveness, economic growth, as well as the image of each country. There are several ways to measure and evaluate the innovation performance of a country. Our research was focused on the summary innovation index (SII), a tool used for analysing the innovative ability of European countries. The Innovation Union is an EU initiative which monitors progress achieved in research, development, and innovation, all indicators which are included in the SII. The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of all SII 27 indicators, which are divided into 10 main areas: human resources, research systems, innovation-friendly environment, finance and support, firm investments, innovators, linkages, intellectual assets, employment impacts, sales impacts. All these indicators are considered in creating the total value of the SII. A statistically significant relationship was determined among all the SII indicators and the total value of the SII using samples from the V4 countries of Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland during the period 2010-2016. The aim of the research was to identify possible strengths and weaknesses of the national innovation systems of these countries and, thus to identify the impact of these strengths and weaknesses on the innovative position of these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with small and medium enterprises in relation to the attitudes perceived by business owners in their immediate neighbourhood, society, in relation to banks and the government. The key question is the difference between entrepreneurs who started their businesses voluntarily and those who entered the business out of necessity. The majority of governmental policies, including Czech policies, focus more on the questions of financial support, however the support of entrepreneurs can be broader and may include the efforts to influence perception of an individual and the society so that they have a more positive attitude towards entrepreneurial activities. The attitudes in the Czech Republic are so far rather negative and such a change may be positively reflected in the level of the entrepreneurial activity which strongly affects economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares and evaluates the efficiency of the banking sector in Austria and the Czech Republic in the period 2004-2011. The paper is divided into the following parts. It begins with a literature review dealing with the bank efficiency generally and then with the efficiency of the banking sector in chosen countries. The second section provides an overview of used methodology. The non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with undesirable output is used for estimating the efficiency. The undesirable output is usually omitted by current authors. Simultaneously were used CCR and BCC models that differ in returns to scale. Section three summarizes the results, discusses them and compares the estimated efficiency rates in both states. This study also attempts to further identify the main sources of inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the specifics of marketing management in hospitals and the role of marketing in hospitals in the Czech Republic. Its goal is to present marketing as a tool enabling hospitals to compete in an open market. Nowadays, hospitals increasingly realise that there is a need for marketing management in health care services. The importance of marketing management is then represented by the institutionalization of marketing by means of establishing marketing departments or appointing people to deal with marketing and marketing management. This paper presents the results of a project financed by the Internal Grant Agency of FaME TBU No. IGA/FaME/2012006 - Research and application of the marketing management tools in the health care management considering reforms in the health sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigation of the impact of disasters and increasing resilience represent an inseparable part of the competitiveness of regions that cannot be implemented without a necessary resource framework. The paper focuses on the issue of financing individual phases of disaster management at the level of regions in the Czech conditions. The article is based on the assumption that public authorities do not systematically plan funds for dealing with crisis situations in the expenditure part of the budget, thereby not supporting the structural and functional conditions of territorial attractiveness, security and sustainability. The aim of the article is to propose a unique calculation of the minimum fund allocation for individual phases of disaster risk reduction at the regional level. The calculation concept is based on the value of the property owned by the region, the number of crisis situations predicted in the region, the number of crisis situations predicted in the Czech Republic, the administrative territory of the region and the total expenditures of the regional budget. The article presents a specific national approach to the public fund allocation to the individual disaster risk management phases, providing competitive administration and progressive and resilient development of the region. Based on the originally elaborated calculation, a comparative analysis of the expenditure part of 13 regional budgets for the 2013-2019 period was performed. The premise on the insufficient financing of disaster management was confirmed, although the Crisis Management Act imposes this obligation. The results showed that the most underfunded area was the implementation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is aimed at researching the issue of Corporate Social Responsibility (hereinafter "CSR") in the Czech Republic (hereinafter "CR"). Social responsibility is now an integral part of integrated business management. It has a long tradition in the Czech Republic, because one of the most prominent businessmen of the 20th century - a Czech entrepreneur, Tomas Bata - began to apply CSR in his plants around the world in the first half of the last century. Currently, the issue of CSR becomes increasingly important. There is an integration of positive attitudes, practices or programs into company's business strategy at the top management level. We follow a shift in management focus from the level of "profit only" to a wider view in the context of the three P's - people - planet - profit. This involves the functioning of the organization with regard to the so called triple - bottom - line, when the company focuses not only on economic growth, but also on environmental and social aspects of its activities. The main objective of the paper is to analyze the current state of CSR in the Czech Republic on the basis of quantitative research (approx. 100 organizations were approached) and compare it with an analysis from 2004. The conclusion summarizes the approaches of managers to the issue of CSR in the CR, including some trends [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the e-commerce theory and is aimed primarily at its usage in business-toconsumer markets. On-line purchasing management is increasing not only in the Czech Republic but also in Europe and all over the world. The customers who think rationally use on-line shopping because of money saving, speed delivery and the possibility of product comparison. This paper presents the results of a project financed by the Czech Science Foundation P403/11/ P175: The factors influencing customers' on-line behaviour in e-commerce environment on B2C and B2B markets in the Czech Republic. 89 % of respondents use e-shops for buying products in the Czech Republic. 32 % of them use the Internet for regular purchases and 57 % of them irregularly. 11 % of respondents have not used e-shops yet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable energy development and its evaluation is a key resource in learning and understanding the policies implemented by the European Commission and how they work while comparing countries within sustainable energy indicators in the area of sustainable energy. The competitiveness of countries is directly related to the progress achieved in implementing sustainable energy development as the energy sector has great significance for the future development of the country. The energy sector is crucial for economic growth and has a major impact on the environment. Sustainable energy development permits the decoupling of economic growth from energy consumption and the decoupling of energy consumption from atmospheric pollution. This paper views the concept of sustainable energy development and policies that are in place of this topic. It also compares the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Slovakia within the boundaries of the following sustainable energy development indicators: sustainable consumption and production, marking the production of energy; climate change and energy, marking GHG emissions and the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption; sustainable transport, marking the energy consumption of transport relative to GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study focused on Generation Y (born between 1980 and 2000) behavior in two neighboring European countries, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This article identifies and describes basic characteristics of this generation's general behavior as well as defines specifics of their shopping behavior by examining their attitudes towards retailers, brands, sales and discount offers. The sample consisted of 380 respondents: 162 from Slovakia and 218 from the Czech Republic. Results of the analysis indicate that shopping is perceived as an entertaining and pleasurable leisure activity. A particular product is chosen before the shopping place. Approximately two-thirds of the respondents search for information online, but quite a large percentage prefer both offline searching and purchasing. Brands are considered to be the symbols and guarantors of quality, but also uselessly expensive. Finally, a positive attitude towards sales and discount offers was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of various changes in the entrepreneurship environment with the aim to create value and gain sustainable competitive advantage, businesses more often pay attention to soft skills within the management and to intangible assets. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the concept of Intellectual Capital and Diversity Management as a tool for business management and efficient use of Intellectual Capital within a business. After having done research within extant literature about both topics mentioned, there is a practical part of the research which uses two independent questionnaire surveys. One of the questionnaires focuses on the concept of Intellectual Capital and it is still being conducted. This questionnaire uses the first outcomes of the research; the second part deals with the topic of Diversity Management and it was already concluded in 2013. The practical part of the article compares the outcomes of the empiric research in the area of Diversity Management with the results of the research of Intellectual Capital concept. The main question is if the managers of the businesses located in the Czech Republic are aware of the Intellectual Capital concept and whether they understand the importance of its control in comparison to understanding the benefits of Diversity Management which is considered to be a factor with a certain influence on the efficiency of Intellectual Capital. Furthermore, the dependency between the size and sector of a business and its understanding of the Intellectual Capital concept and importance is examined. This is done by means of statistical tools. The results and outcomes of the research are discussed in the final part of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors' aim was to create a model suitable for measuring organization capital. This model was produced by means of the Forward and Backward Stepwise methods, on the basis of company information. Low p-levels (approaching 0) show the statistical significance of all regression coefficients, including the intercept. Organizational capital of 2,796 companies in the Czech Republic was quantified. A statistically significant correlation between organizational capital and return on equity (ROE), as well as between organizational capital and return on assets (ROA), has been established. This article is a part of the results of the project No. 402/09/2057 ''Measurement and Management of Intangible Assets Impact on Firm Performance'' financed by Czech Science Foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is a valued intangible asset that is important for a company's competitiveness. A crucial part of corporate success is the creation of cultural values that foster innovation and creative behavior. Through a thorough review of previous articles, a scientific research gap in the literature regarding the relationship between organizational culture and organizational innovativeness has been identified. Based on resource-based view theory, the authors investigate theoretically and empirically the area of innovative culture attributes. The mixed research approach was used to examine evidence and the importance of innovative culture attributes and to determine differences between the view of managers and employees in rating innovative culture attributes at innovative large-size enterprises operating in the Czech Republic. In the first phase of the research, a qualitative personal semi-structured interview with managers responsible for innovation and change management was conducted to verify the use of proposed characteristics in companies. Then, a questionnaire survey was used to collect data and assess the importance of using identified characteristics of innovative culture. The data were statistically tested, and the results revealed the use of innovative culture attributes. Cluster analysis indicated which attributes should be used in tandem to maximize each attribute's potential. Based on these findings, a framework that defines the structure of innovative culture was created and can be used to diagnose the extent of a company's attempt to build an innovative culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analyses logistics outsourcing services from the viewpoint of client companies (manufacturing companies). The main goal is to show how intensively various logistics out- sourcing services are used by Czech manufacturing companies in comparison with other world regions, and which areas of logistics outsourcing should be considered more seriously in order to increase logistic efficiency. The study is based on a quantitative and qualitative investigation of Czech manufacturing companies. Firstly, the brief overview of the present situation in the Czech market is presented. It is based on survey data. The results of this quantitative study are compared with global research activities, especially with the 2013 Third-Party Logistics Study carried out by Capgemini Consulting Company. Next, results of the qualitative investigation are discussed. This part describes the experience of four selected Czech manufacturing companies with logistics outsourcing, the main problems they face in this area and their future plans and expectations. The present study is part of a more complex research currently being carried out by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on hotel competitiveness in the Czech Republic. It provides evidence that proactive environmental strategies implemented in hotel operations are a competitive advantage for hotels, especially during a crisis. This research determined the impact of proactive environmental strategies on hotel competitiveness in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Competitiveness was assessed based on the occupancy rate and hotel experience. Data were obtained through quantitative research, which involved 110 accommodation facilities from the Czech Republic, of which 51 were common hotels and 59 were green hotels. The research yields two groups of results. The first group is the results of testing the dependence between the type of hotel and changes in hotel competitiveness. These results did not confirm the relationship between hotel type according to implementation of proactive environmental strategies and competitiveness based neither on evaluation of hotel experience nor on the occupancy rate. According to these findings, it does not matter whether the hotel is green during a crisis. The second group of results includes concrete values of changes in occupancy in the second and third quarters of 2019 and 2020, as well as specific changes in the clientele. The decrease in occupancy in the second quarter of 2020 compared with 2019 was not as significant as expected. In the third quarter of 2020, the year-on-year change was minimal, and some accommodation facilities experienced an increase in occupancy because Czech visitors embraced domestic tourism. In this case, the absolute indicators show that green hotels had an advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a new approach to the generation of business models based on value streams. The originality of the study lies in the assumption that in every business model the generator of added value is the value chain which, if original enough, will maximize potential while minimizing costs. This approach will provide the respective enterprise with a high level competitiveness in the long term. The tested group of enterprises consisted of 354 SMEs, one hundred eightyseven of which were from the manufacturing and industry sector, with 167 from the services sector. The novelty of this approach also consists of the integrated approach to the business environment in which the value streams were analyzed. The results suggest that the analysis of value streams is suitable for the projection of business models. In addition, the methods of dimensional reduction and logit regression have been identified as appropriate analytical tools, with representative results found valid and utilizable in business practice. The authors of the article are aware that this is only the first step in addressing this issue, one which will play a critical role in the gradual process of the upcoming digital transformation of all business models, not only those of SMEs in the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to define and analyze important factors of the introduction of a local currency. The research was carried out in the Cieszyn Silesia region. A questionnaire was prepared and distributed among the employees of both public and private companies in the region and filled in by 422 respondents. Advanced data analysis methods were used to evaluate the questionnaire: contingency tables, absolute and relative species abundance, the Pearson's chi-squared test, along with a standard score (Z-score). Respondents' attitudes towards introducing the local currency led to some interesting results. Most respondents know the term "local currency," but only one third of them are able to interpret this term correctly. 65% of the respondents are familiar with the term "digital currency," but only 11% of them have trust in the concept. According to the received answers, the credibility of digital currency can be increased by it being ensured by trustworthy subjects. Three out of four respondents predict that the introduction of digital currency would significantly support regional producers and service providers. These results are used as the information base for assessments regarding the types of employee benefits on offer by major employers in the region along with cooperating institutions of the public non-profit sector, as well as for an academic discussion on the suitability of the local currency in the Czech Republic and its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article defines and quantifies important factors of the quality of the business environment for small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in the Czech Republic. To do so, itcompares the attitudes of entrepreneurs categorized by gender, education, age and firm size. A study of the business environment was conducted in 2015 from a sample of 1,141 respondents (the owners of companies), and the results were analyzed. It was found that only 10% of the entrepreneurs positively evaluated the applicable forms of state financial support. The study also demonstrated no statistically-significant response differences among the designated social groups. 64% of Czech entrepreneurs feel the support of their surroundings while doing business,45% think that SMEs have restricted access to external sources of financing, and over half note the intensive influence of market risk. It was also determined that there are statistically-significant differences in the pattern of responses between men and women and between micro-enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes process segmentation typology during business process management implementation in Czech companies. Process typology is important for a manager's overview of process orientation as well as for a manager's general understanding of business process management. This article provides insight into a process-oriented organizational structure. The first part analyzes process segmentation typology itself as well as some original results of quantitative research evaluating process segmentation typology in the specific context of Czech company strategies. Widespread data collection was carried out in 2006 and 2013. The analysis of this data showed that managers have more options regarding process segmentation and its selection. In terms of practicality and ease of use, the most frequently used method of process segmentation (managerial, main, and supportive) stems directly from the requirements of ISO 9001. Because of ISO 9001:2015, managers must now apply risk planning in relation to the selection of processes that are subjected to process management activities. It is for this fundamental reason that this article focuses on process segmentation typology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on describing the main aspects and reasons for implementing Business Process Management in Czech companies, and was based on original results of the quantitative research evaluating aspects of process management in the context of company strategies in Czech enterprises which was carried out in 2006 with regard to the extension of its further utilization. Following the interest of professionals in practice, the research continued and was re-implemented in 2012, having the interviews completed in 2013. I have described an evaluation of a process segmentation typology in this article too. The analysis showed that managers have more options regarding process segmentation to choose from. In terms of practicality and ease of use, the method of process segmentation most frequently used (managerial, main and supportive) comes directly from the requirements of ISO 9001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, motivated by the recognition that organizational performance and success always hinges on employee competencies and management's skill in utilizing their potentials, focuses on one of the key factors in organizational efficiency: the possibilities of development of talented employees within Czech organizations. The data was collected via two quantitative studies. The first study involved 100 organizations from every economic sector with a main focus on the topic from the organization's perspective. The second study explored the approach from employees' perspective. Our analysis shows that different talent management philosophies are used in practice. Almost half of the sample use inclusive and stable philosophy, 11% inclusive and developable philosophy and almost 10% exclusive and developable philosophy. Employees are mostly developed in generally recommended areas without any consideration for the specific individual's characteristics or related opportunities. It is a stable approach. Limitations of this study may be found in the focus on analysis outcomes - on practitioners in particular. The present findings provide a basis for future hypotheses and research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of corporate social responsibility is not new in the banking sector, but nowadays, it becomes highly topical since the crisis has significantly highlighted the need for integration of moral principles in the banking business. Knowledge of business practice indicates the fact that the acceptance of moral principles in business is not integrated into management decisions of companies. It also cannot be accepted that self-regulatory instruments of companies such as CSR will be effective. The existing experience with the implementation of CSR and ethical principles in the banking sector leads to the opinion that the social responsibility of banks and ethics in banking sector are perceived as an appropriate marketing tool for public communication and are not integrated into policies of individual commercial banks. Experience with the crisis demonstrated that there is a lack of moral principles of managers' decisions. The aim of this article is to introduce theoretical aspects of CSR in commercial banking and measure the level of CSR in selected Czech commercial banks. In the article, the CSR index was calculated for Česká spořitelna, Československá obchodní banka, Komerční banka and GE Money Bank. Results of our research confirmed that the CSR index of selected Czech commercial banks achieves only an average level. There is a significant lack of transparent information in the context of CSR areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the extent to which the initiatives determined as Green ICT are reflected in the lifecycle of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Czech Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The research model is based on the ICT Lifecycle viewpoint that from the perspective of non-ICT businesses consists of three phases - ICT procurement, ICT use and End of ICT use. The results of our research conducted via questionnaire survey among 61 respondents indicate a significant potential among businesses for improvement in all ICT lifecycle phases. The utilization of this potential can increase their competitiveness not only by achieving cost savings in the operation of ICT, but also by contributing to their sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]