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2. Coordinating Guidance and Validation. Cedefop Research Paper. No 75
- Author
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
- Abstract
Validation and guidance help individuals, organisations and Member States adapt to career challenges and create successful lifelong learning systems. However, little is known about how they are linked in practice and how this connection can be made more efficient. Building on Cedefop's expertise in the two areas, this study -- based on analysis of 13 practices from 12 countries -- explores how coordination between career guidance and validation of non-formal and informal learning can be improved. Results point to three factors: (a) comprehensiveness: provision of adequate information and guidance before a decision to undergo validation is taken, throughout the entire validation process, as well as after it; (b) coherence: use of common qualifications or competence standards, occupational standards or other reference frameworks in all the stages of the practice to identify, document and assess skills; and (c) quality of staff, resources, competences, and tools used. The study concludes with policy recommendations on how to improve the link between guidance and validation.
- Published
- 2019
3. The Changing Nature and Role of Vocational Education and Training in Europe. Volume 5: Education and Labour Market Outcomes for Graduates from Different Types of VET System in Europe. Cedefop Research Paper. No 69
- Author
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
- Abstract
This research paper is the fifth in a series produced as part of the Cedefop project The changing nature and role of VET (2016-18). Based on comparative analysis of labour force survey data from 2014, the report analyses the vocational effect on labour market and education outcomes, asking whether any advantages conferred by vocational qualifications in early career would be offset by disadvantages later in life. The report explores the functioning of the safety net and the diversion effects across countries, demonstrating how these vary considerably with the specific institutional structure of schooling and work-based training. The results indicate that VET graduates are potentially sacrificing the longer-term gains associated with further education in favour of short-term benefits. [This research was carried out by a consortium led by 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH and including the Danish Technological Institute, the Institute of Employment Research (University of Warwick), the Institute of International and Social Studies (Tallinn University) and Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) in Germany is supporting the project as a subcontractor.]
- Published
- 2018
4. Globalisation Opportunities for VET: How European and International Initiatives Help in Renewing Vocational Education and Training in European Countries. Cedefop Research Paper. No 71
- Author
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Cedefop - European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training, Department for VET Systems and Institutions (DSI)
- Abstract
In a highly competitive global landscape, occupations are transformed, new jobs are created and the skills needed for the labour market are constantly changing. European countries are looking at redefining VET [vocational education and training] to respond promptly to such challenges and take advantage of the opportunities ahead. They are reforming to modernise their VET systems and strengthen the relevance of their national qualifications in an international context. This publication explores national responses to globalisation in 15 countries and five economic sectors. It aims to understand how European and international initiatives help VET renewal across Europe. It shows how countries' reactions are embedded in their national traditions but also depend on their interactions with European, sectoral and multinational players that provide training and award qualifications. [The research was carried out by a consortium led by IBE Educational research institute and 3s Unternehmensberatung GmbH.]
- Published
- 2018
5. Liability and Remedies for School Segregation in the United States and the European Union. Working Paper #44
- Author
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Michigan State University, Education Policy Center, Bowman, Kristi, and Nantl, Jiri
- Abstract
In 1954, the United States Supreme Court decided "Brown v. Board of Education," a case that is known throughout the US and around the world for its strong statements about equality and about the importance of education. The years since the "Brown" decision have been filled with many changes in US law and society. From the perspective of civil rights advocates, many of those changes have resulted in great progress, but others have fallen far short of "Brown's" lofty ambitions. Today, if Americans who are committed to achieving more integrated schools and broader access to quality education look only inside our own law and our own borders, the situation is discouraging. At first glance, however, recent developments in Europe seem to pursue one road not taken by the US Supreme Court. In 2007, the European Court of Human Rights, the most influential international human rights court in the world, decided what some commentators have referred to as "Europe's Brown v. Board of Education." Informed by the contours of what constitutes illegal discrimination under different legal regimes' statutes and judge-made law, this working paper analyzes school desegregation liability and remedies available in the US and the EU (specifically the Czech Republic). Turning to the EU, the authors see how an international human rights court is redefining the way national remedies against discrimination are construed. Before beginning their analysis, the authors explore some similarities and differences between US and European conceptions of race and ethnicity.
- Published
- 2014
6. An Off-Line Scaffolding Tool for Writing Abstracts of Qualification Papers.
- Author
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Klimova, Blanka
- Subjects
SCAFFOLDED instruction ,MEDICAL informatics ,COLLEGE students ,NATIVE language - Abstract
Abstract writing is a very important since it is the piece of formal writing which should attract the attention of the reader and make him/her read the rest of the paper. Thus, it must be clear, concise, coherent, and powerful enough to attract the reader and provide him/her with the key information about the content of a research paper. All university students have to write an abstract in English in their qualification papers. However, non-native students of English usually have difficulties in writing an abstract in English. For example, the Czech students lack formal writing skills in English since the skill of formal writing is not developed enough in their native language, i.e. Czech. Therefore, the aim of this article is to discuss the use of an off-line scaffolding tool, which can help students develop an abstract in English, as well as to demonstrate how this tool can be incorporated in the whole Course of Practical English taught at the Faculty of Informatics and Management of the University of Hradec Kralove in the Czech Republic. The application was developed for students as support to a face-to-face class instruction, which proved to be insufficient in teaching students how to write an abstract in English. The application reflects the structure and sentence functions of the abstract and provides students with a model abstract, as well as with additional formulations. Overall, the application was designed with the purpose to enhance student's skill of writing an abstract in English, as well as to lead students to successfully complete the task by making the application user-friendly - easy-to-use, accessible and transferrable as far as the knowledge is concerned. The application aims to enhance students' autonomous learning by tailoring the content to their specific needs and making it accessible anytime and from anywhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - diagnosis and management of stable disease; a personalized approach to care, using the treatable traits concept based on clinical phenotypes. Position paper of the Czech Pneumological and Phthisiological Society.
- Author
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Zatloukal J, Brat K, Neumannova K, Volakova E, Hejduk K, Kocova E, Kudela O, Kopecky M, Plutinsky M, and Koblizek V
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Bronchodilator Agents therapeutic use, Chronic Disease therapy, Cross-Sectional Studies, Czech Republic, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive physiopathology, Bronchodilator Agents standards, Patient-Centered Care standards, Phenotype, Practice Guidelines as Topic, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive diagnosis, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive genetics, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive therapy, Pulmonary Medicine standards
- Abstract
This position paper has been drafted by experts from the Czech national board of diseases with bronchial obstruction, of the Czech Pneumological and Phthisiological Society. The statements and recommendations are based on both the results of randomized controlled trials and data from cross-sectional and prospective real-life studies to ensure they are as close as possible to the context of daily clinical practice and the current health care system of the Czech Republic. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable heterogeneous syndrome with a number of pulmonary and extrapulmonary clinical features and concomitant chronic diseases. The disease is associated with significant mortality, morbidity and reduced quality of life. The main characteristics include persistent respiratory symptoms and only partially reversible airflow obstruction developing due to an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles and gases. Oxidative stress, protease-antiprotease imbalance and increased numbers of pro-inflammatory cells (mainly neutrophils) are the main drivers of primarily non-infectious inflammation in COPD. Besides smoking, household air pollution, occupational exposure, low birth weight, frequent respiratory infections during childhood and also genetic factors are important risk factors of COPD development. Progressive airflow limitation and airway remodelling leads to air trapping, static and dynamic hyperinflation, gas exchange abnormalities and decreased exercise capacity. Various features of the disease are expressed unequally in individual patients, resulting in various types of disease presentation, emerging as the "clinical phenotypes" (for specific clinical characteristics) and "treatable traits" (for treatable characteristics) concept. The estimated prevalence of COPD in Czechia is around 6.7% with 3,200-3,500 deaths reported annually. The elementary requirements for diagnosis of COPD are spirometric confirmation of post-bronchodilator airflow obstruction (post-BD FEV
1 /VCmax <70%) and respiratory symptoms assessement (dyspnoea, exercise limitation, cough and/or sputum production. In order to establish definite COPD diagnosis, a five-step evaluation should be performed, including: 1/ inhalation risk assessment, 2/ symptoms evaluation, 3/ lung function tests, 4/ laboratory tests and 5/ imaging. At the same time, all alternative diagnoses should be excluded. For disease classification, this position paper uses both GOLD stages (1 to 4), GOLD groups (A to D) and evaluation of clinical phenotype(s). Prognosis assessment should be done in each patient. For this purpose, we recommend the use of the BODE or the CADOT index. Six elementary clinical phenotypes are recognized, including chronic bronchitis, frequent exacerbator, emphysematous, asthma/COPD overlap (ACO), bronchiectases with COPD overlap (BCO) and pulmonary cachexia. In our concept, all of these clinical phenotypes are also considered independent treatable traits. For each treatable trait, specific pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies are defined in this document. The coincidence of two or more clinical phenotypes (i.e., treatable traits) may occur in a single individual, giving the opportunity of fully individualized, phenotype-specific treatment. Treatment of COPD should reflect the complexity and heterogeneity of the disease and be tailored to individual patients. Major goals of COPD treatment are symptom reduction and decreased exacerbation risk. Treatment strategy is divided into five strata: risk elimination, basic treatment, phenotype-specific treatment, treatment of respiratory failure and palliative care, and treatment of comorbidities. Risk elimination includes interventions against tobacco smoking and environmental/occupational exposures. Basic treatment is based on bronchodilator therapy, pulmonary rehabilitation, vaccination, care for appropriate nutrition, inhalation training, education and psychosocial support. Adequate phenotype-specific treatment varies phenotype by phenotype, including more than ten different pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies. If more than one clinical phenotype is present, treatment strategy should follow the expression of each phenotypic label separately. In such patients, multicomponental therapeutic regimens are needed, resulting in fully individualized care. In the future, stronger measures against smoking, improvements in occupational and environmental health, early diagnosis strategies, as well as biomarker identification for patients responsive to specific treatments are warranted. New classes of treatment (inhaled PDE3/4 inhibitors, single molecule dual bronchodilators, anti-inflammatory drugs, gene editing molecules or new bronchoscopic procedures) are expected to enter the clinical practice in a very few years.- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Alcohol and cardiovascular disease: Position Paper of the Czech Society of Cardiology.
- Author
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Cífková R and Krajčoviechová A
- Subjects
- Cardiology, Czech Republic epidemiology, Female, Humans, Male, Prospective Studies, Risk Factors, Societies, Medical, Alcohol Drinking epidemiology, Cardiovascular Diseases epidemiology
- Abstract
Epidemiologic studies consistently report a U-shaped curve relationship between the amount of alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease, with consumption of ≥ three alcoholic drinks being associated with an increased risk. However, the cardioprotective effect of light and moderate alcohol consumption has been recently questioned. In the absence of a randomized trial confirming the cardioprotective effect of light or moderate alcohol consumption, an alternative method to prove the causality is Mendelian randomization using a genetic variant serving as a proxy for alcohol consumption. A Mendelian randomization analysis by Holmes et al. suggests that a reduction in alcohol intake is beneficial for cardiovascular health also in light to moderate drinkers. In a recent analysis of 83 prospective studies, alcohol consumption was roughly linearly associated with a higher risk of stroke, coronary heart disease excluding myocardial infarction, heart failure and risk of death from aortic aneurysm dissection. By contrast, increased alcohol consumption was associated with a lower risk of myocardial infarction. "Low-risk" alcohol consumption recommended by the National Institute of Public Health, Czech Republic, should not exceed 16 g of 100% ethanol/day for women and 24 g/day for men; at least two days a week should be alcohol free, and the dose of ethanol during binge drinking should not exceed 40 g. In practice, this means one standard drink daily for five days at most and two standard drinks at most when binge drinking. These amounts should be considered the highest acceptable limits, but alcohol consumption in general should be discouraged.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Applied Linguistics Project: Student-Led Computer Assisted Research in High School EAL/EAP
- Author
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Bohát, Róbert, Rödlingová, Beata, and Horáková, Nina
- Abstract
The Applied Linguistics Project (ALP) started at the International School of Prague (ISP) in 2013. Every year, Grade 9 English as an Additional Language (EAL) students identify an area of learning in need of improvement and design a research method followed by data collection and analysis using basic computer software tools or online corpora. Mimicking authentic research, they write a research paper and present it in front of a panel of experts at Charles University in Prague. The papers are collected in a proceedings book. This research project confirms that high school students--with appropriate scaffolding--are capable of academic research, meta-cognition, and applying data-driven critical thinking to academic language learning with a responsible application of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL). [For full proceedings, see ED564162.]
- Published
- 2015
10. EFFECT OF DIFFERENT STORAGE METHODS ON THE MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF THE INSECT DRY POWDER MADE FROM MEALWORM (TENEBRIO MOLITOR, L.).
- Author
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Kouřil, Petr, Burdová, Eva, and Kalhotka, Libor
- Subjects
TENEBRIO molitor ,COLIFORMS ,AEROBIC bacteria ,ENTOMOPHAGY ,INSECTS ,PAPER bags - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Global Competitive Strategies: Assessing the Role of Marketing Tools in SME Internationalization and Financial Performance.
- Author
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Civelek, Mehmet, Ključnikov, Aleksandr, Hruška, Roman, Světlík, Jaroslav, and Vavrečka, Vladimír
- Subjects
MARKETING ,FINANCIAL performance ,SMALL business ,COMMUNICATION in marketing ,GLOBALIZATION ,SUPPLIERS - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. Proceedings of the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) International Conference on Mobile Learning (12th, Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, April 9-11, 2016)
- Author
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International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS), Sánchez, Inmaculada Arnedillo, and Isaías, Pedro
- Abstract
These proceedings contain the papers of the 12th International Conference on Mobile Learning 2016, which was organized by the International Association for Development of the Information Society, in Vilamoura, Algarve, Portugal, April 9-11, 2016. The Mobile Learning 2016 Conference seeks to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of mobile learning research which illustrate developments in the field. Full papers presented in these proceedings include: (1) Mobile Devices and Spatial Enactments of Learning: iPads in Lower Secondary Schools (Bente Meyer); (2) NetEnquiry--A Competitive Mobile Learning Approach for the Banking Sector (Marc Beutner, Matthias Teine, Marcel Gebbe and Lara Melissa Fortmann); (3) M-Learning Challenges in Teaching Crosscutting Themes in the Education of Young People and Adults (Marcos Andrei Ota and Carlos Fernando de Araujo Jr); (4) Mobile Learning: Pedagogical Strategies for Using Applications in the Classroom (Anna Helena Silveira Sonego, Leticia Rocha Machado, Cristina Alba Wildt Torrezzan and Patricia Alejandra Behar); (5) Experiencing a Mobile Game and its Impact on Teachers' Attitudes towards Mobile Learning (Hagit Meishar-Tal and Miky Ronen); (6) Exploring Mobile Affordances in the Digital Classroom (David Parsons, Herbert Thomas and Jocelyn Wishart); (7) Design, Development and Evaluation of a Field Learning Video Blog (Otto Petrovic); (8) Development and Evaluation of a Classroom Interaction System (Bingyi Cao, Margarita Esponda-Argüero and Raúl Rojas); (9) Visual Environment for Designing Interactive Learning Scenarios with Augmented Reality (José Miguel Mota, Iván Ruiz-Rube, Juan Manuel Dodero and Mauro Figueiredo); and (10) The Development of an Interactive Mathematics App for Mobile Learning (Mauro Figueiredo, Beata Godejord and José Rodrigues). Short papers presented include: (1) Conceptualizing an M-Learning System for Seniors (Matthias Teine and Marc Beutner); (2) Sensimotor Distractions when Learning with Mobile Phones on-the Move (Soledad Castellano and Inmaculada Arnedillo-Sánchez); (3) Personal Biometric Information from Wearable Technology Tracked and Followed Using an Eportfolio: A Case Study of eHealth literacy Development with Emerging Technology in Hong King Higher Education (Michele Notari, Tanja Sobko and Daniel Churchill); (4) An Initial Evaluation of Tablet Devices & What Are the Next Steps? (Tracey McKillen); (5) Information Literacy on the Go! Adding Mobile to an Age Old Challenge (Alice Schmidt Hanbidge, Nicole Sanderson and Tony Tin); (6) The Use of Digital Tools by Independent Music Teachers (Rena Upitis, Philip C. Abrami and Karen Boese); (7) Development of a Math Input Interface with Flick Operation for Mobile Devices (Yasuyuki Nakamura and Takahiro Nakahara); (8) Smartwatches as a Learning Tool: A Survey of Student Attitudes (Neil Davie and Tobias Hilber); and (9) The Adoption of Mobile Learning in a Traditional Training Environment: The C95-Challenge Project Experience (Nadia Catenazzi, Lorenzo Sommaruga, Kylene De Angelis and Giulio Gabbianelli). Reflection papers include the following; (1) Leadership for Nursing Work-Based Mobile Learning (Dorothy Fahlman); (2) Reflections on Ways forward for Addressing Ethical Concerns in Mobile Learning Research (Jocelyn Wishart); and (3) Mobile Learning: Extreme Outcomes of Everywhere, Anytime (Giuseppe Cosimo De Simone). Posters include: (1) Student Response Behavior to Six Types of Caller/Sender When Smartphones Receive a Call or Text Message during University Lectures (Kunihiro Chida, Yuuki Kato and Shogo Kato); and (2) Understanding the Use of Mobile Resources to Enhance Paralympic Boccia Teaching and Learning for Students with Cerebral Palsy (Fabiana Zioti, Giordano Clemente, Raphael de Paiva Gonçalves, Matheus Souza, Aracele Fassbinder and Ieda Mayumi Kawashita). Doctoral Consortium papers include: (1) Forms of the Materials Shared between a Teacher and a Pupil (Libor Klubal and Katerina Kostolányová); and (2) Mobile Touch Screen Devices as Compensation for the Teaching Materials at a Special Primary School (Vojtech Gybas and Katerina Kostolányová). Individual papers provide references, and an Author Index is provided.
- Published
- 2016
13. The Application of Internet of Things in Metering the Consumption of Utilities in the Czech Republic.
- Author
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Sladek, Pavel, Maryska, Milos, Nedomova, Lea, and Doucek, Petr
- Subjects
INTERNET of things ,WATER meters ,PAPER money ,CORPORATE finance ,WATER consumption - Abstract
Purpose: This article proposes and analyses the potential use of IoT solutions for detecting water consumption not only from technical, but also from the business and financial points of view. This topic is important because by solving this problem, companies may save a lot of money and this paper provides financial analysis, which answers question, if the implementation is or is not meaningful. Methodology/Approach: Source data used in this paper come from an extensive survey among fifty experts from the energy supply industry in the Czech Republic during two-round workshops. One of the most attractive application has been appointed "monitoring of utility consumption" - for this article the water metering. Findings: We have reached the conclusion that an isolated implementation of IoT technologies is much more expensive than the current solution that are based on human labour, periodical inspections of meters by people. This is caused mainly by high prices of the sonic/mechanical metering devices supporting IoT functionality. Research Limitation/implication: Workshops and research work were realised in conditions in the Czech Republic. Principles of application opportunities and of its implementation are general, but the final decisions about their importance can be influenced by the specifics and situation in the Czech Republic. Originality/Value of paper: The value of the paper comes from the workshops where were defined important application opportunities for definition of the priority for each of defined application opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Prague Law Working Papers Series No II/2022 - New issue of Charles University in Prague Faculty of Law Research Papers.
- Author
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Šmejkal, Václav
- Subjects
COPYRIGHT ,DIGITAL technology ,COVID-19 pandemic - Published
- 2022
15. Smart City Projects in the Small-Sized Municipalities: Contribution of the Cohesion Policy.
- Author
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Smékalová, Lenka and Kučera, Filip
- Subjects
SMART cities ,CITIES & towns ,SMALL cities ,ELECTRONIC paper ,METROPOLIS - Abstract
The paper focuses on the smart city concept implementation in the Czech Republic during 2007-2013. The aim is to deliver a closer look at the implementation of the concept in the conditions of the selected Czech municipalities by means of decoding the investments from the EU Cohesion policy. The municipalities represent small sized cities that have so far been on the periphery of interest in smart city debate as they are neither metropolises nor do they fit the newer concept of smart village. The analysed projects are divided into six smart city dimensions, the authors then explore investment intensity in relation to city size and its future commitment to become a smart city by means of having a formalized strategy. The results show that Czech municipalities invested into all smart city dimensions and infrastructure related projects prevailed. The larger the city the more intensive investment activity confirming the relation between size and absorption capacity. The divisive dimension that sets apart future smart cities is the investment into smart economy measures which were implemented in cities that later officially undertake the commitment of smartness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Nitrate-Alkaline Pulp from Non-Wood Plants.
- Author
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Hájková, Kateřina, Bouček, Jiří, Procházka, Petr, Kalous, Petr, and Budský, Dominik
- Subjects
MUSTARD ,AGRICULTURAL wastes ,PLANT residues ,CAMELINA ,PAPER pulp ,SOFTWOOD ,LIGNINS - Abstract
Because there is a lack of wood resources in many countries, this work focused on pulp and paper production from the waste and agricultural residues of non-wood plants. The work aimed to pulp the nitrate-alkaline of black mustard (Brassica Nigra L.) and camelina (Camelina Sativa L.). The black mustard and the camelina were selected due to the expanding planted areas of these crops in the Czech Republic. To characterize the chemical composition of black mustard and camelina, cellulose, lignin, ash, and extractives were determined. Raw alpha-cellulose, beta-cellulose, and gamma-cellulose were also measured. The results showed that the content of lignin in non-wood plants is lower than that in softwoods. The cooked pulp was characterized by the delignification degree–Kappa number. Additionally, handsheet papers were made for selected samples of pulp. The handsheet papers were characterized by tensile index, breaking length, and smoothness and compared with commonly available papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. A Comparison and Development of Municipal Waste Management in Three Countries, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Poland, with an Emphasis on the Slovak Republic †.
- Author
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Domaracka, Lucia, Matuskova, Simona, Tausova, Marcela, Kowal, Barbara, and Culkova, Katarina
- Subjects
MUNICIPAL solid waste incinerator residues ,WASTE management ,CIRCULAR economy - Abstract
In this paper, we compare the development and possibilities for improvement of waste management in three countries: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Waste management is part of the circular economy. The circular economy is the basis for waste management today. This applies to municipal waste management, too. In this paper, we work with data available in the Eurostat database. We mainly deal with municipal waste in the three chosen countries. The output of this paper is an assessment of indicators such as recycling rates and waste production. The outputs are documented graphically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. The impacts of dynamic capabilities on SMEs' digital transformation process: The resource-based view perspective.
- Author
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Civelek, Mehmet, Krajčík, Vladimír, and Ključnikov, Aleksandr
- Subjects
DIGITAL transformation ,INTERNSHIP programs ,SMALL business ,INFORMATION technology industry ,DIGITAL literacy ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,ABSORPTIVE capacity (Economics) ,FINANCIAL literacy - Abstract
Research background: SMEs' concern for the digital literacy of their workforce, their interest in increasing digital literacy among employees, and securing their digital platforms, have been major issues in their digital transformation process. To reduce those obstacles, the dynamic capabilities of SMEs included in the Resource-based View (RBV) might be an effective solution since they help companies be more competitive and proactive against the threats they face in the digitalization process. Purpose of the article: This research aims to investigate whether SMEs' dynamic capabilities positively contribute to their digital transformation process. Methods: In line with the proposed relationships, this paper analyzes SMEs from Czechia by running Ordinal Logistic Regression analyses. The research sample is created by stratified random sampling and purposive sampling methods. The research data is collected via telephone surveys. Findings & value added: This research does not find a positive relationship between the dynamic capabilities of SMEs and the digital transformation process. While the results related to digital literacy are negatively associated with digital transformation, no significant relationship exists between security actions and the digital transformation of SMEs. This paper extends the scope of RBV on the digital transformation of SMEs by analyzing various dynamic capabilities of SMEs that have not been included in a sole study. Moreover, the perceptions of SME executives are considered by this research to provide effective solutions for the problems they face in digital transformation. Having a joint venture agreement with well-experienced IT companies, having a network with partner firms, looking for funding opportunities in the EU, participating in some practical training, and providing internships for bachelor students might enable SMEs to hit their targets in digital transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. The impacts of innovative and competitive abilities of SMEs on their different financial risk concerns: System approach.
- Author
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Civelek, Mehmet, Krajčík, Vladimír, and Fialova, Vendula
- Subjects
FINANCIAL risk ,SMALL business ,FINANCIAL risk management ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,FINANCIAL performance ,INTANGIBLE property - Abstract
Research background: The lack of financial resources of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make them face high financial risk. Their entrepreneurial abilities that belong to Resource-based View (RBV), such as innovativeness and competitiveness, might reduce SMEs’ financial risk because those entrepreneurial abilities increase the financial performance of businesses. Purpose of the article: This paper aims to investigate the effects of the innovativeness and competitiveness of SMEs on their financial concerns based on financial risk, including bankruptcy, financial performance, and financial risk management. Methods: The authors use a method of data analysis and synthesis, including advanced knowledge and digital processing of background studies. This paper examines 1221 SMEs from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Those firms are chosen by random sampling method from Cribis and the Budapest Chamber of Commerce databases. Then the researchers directed an online questionnaire to collect the research data from the randomly selected firms. The researchers use Ordinal Logistic Regression Test for analysis purposes. Findings & value added: This paper's results indicate that SMEs' competitiveness does not impact SMEs’ bankruptcy prediction, financial performance, or financial risk management. On the other hand, while more innovative SMEs are less likely to face bankruptcy issues than less innovative SMEs, less innovative SMEs indicate better financial performance than their more innovative counterparts. Since this paper focuses on the influences of intangible assets of SMEs (such as characteristics based on RBV and Entrepreneurial Orientation) on their tangible assets (financial performance etc.) and puts emphasis on this fact from an International perspective, this paper makes a significant contribution to the literature. Furthermore, analyzing multiple relationships between SMEs’ different entrepreneurial characteristics and various financial risk concerns is another important fact that might draw prospective readers’ attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Dichotomous rhetoric and purposeful silencing: Contradictions of Czech and Polish post-2015 migration policy vis-à-vis immigration from South Asia.
- Author
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Mucha, Zbyněk
- Subjects
EMIGRATION & immigration ,SEMI-structured interviews ,IMMIGRANTS ,LIBERALISM - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. PRICE DYNAMICS OF FOSSIL FUEL COMMODITIES IN THE PERIOD 2014 - 2024.
- Author
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KAŠPAROVÁ, SANDRA and NIKITENKO, YELYZAVETA
- Subjects
PRICES ,GRANGER causality test ,VECTOR autoregression model ,NATURAL gas prices ,COVID-19 pandemic ,FOSSIL fuels - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Distribution and use of tax support for housing in the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
KIRSCHNEROVÁ, PAVLÍNA and JANOUŠKOVÁ, JANA
- Subjects
INCOME tax ,GOVERNMENT revenue ,MORTGAGE rates ,TAXATION ,BUDGET - Abstract
This article focuses on mortgage interest deduction (MID) as an indirect tax support for acquiring one's housing. This form of support is the most widely used in the Czech Republic compared to other tax reliefs and causes the highest losses for the government budget. This paper provides quantitative evidence on how the MID was distributed among taxpayers in the Czech Republic in the period 2008–2019 in relation to taxable income and revenue losses for the government budget. Furthermore, it assesses the effectiveness of these tax measures in reducing socioeconomic inequalities among taxpayers. Research based on the application of the MID in tax returns has shown the effective distribution of the MID until 2017. Tax support for housing was used mainly by taxpayers with low taxable income, which is also the largest group. The essence of vertical equity has been fulfilled, which contributed to reducing the level of social inequality. This positive distributional effect has diminished over time. As of 2019, the highest share of public expenditure was redistributed to taxpayers with higher taxable income, indicating the existence of inequalities in the tax system. The different developments over time have shown that the use of the mortgage interest deduction cannot be assessed statically, as it evolves dynamically over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Consumer Price Index in the Czech Republic – New Sources and Data Processing.
- Author
-
Sixta, Jaroslav and Musil, Petr
- Subjects
ELECTRONIC data processing ,MACHINE learning ,PRICE inflation ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,PRICES - Abstract
Consumer price index has been in the centre of interest for many years, since being published in 1990s in the Czech Republic but recent price growth raised more questions on methodology and data sources used in price statistics. Users are interested not only in the figures itself but also in statistical issue influencing interpretation and the quality of consumer price index that is often used as an approximation of inflation rate. The paper introduces price statistics compiled by the Czech Statistical Office and it specifically focuses on data sources and in particular scanner data. The paper explains how advanced statistical methods such as machine learning are implemented in official statistical production. We think that the official statistics is being on the historical junction where modern methods are going to be implemented. Our paper shows the usage of machine learning procedures applied on scanner data within consumer price index. Used method is based on logistic regression and powerful Python solution and that provides fast and high quality results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Time-Dependent Unavailability Exploration of Interconnected Urban Power Grid and Communication Network.
- Author
-
Vrtal, Matej, Fujdiak, Radek, Benedikt, Jan, Praks, Pavel, Bris, Radim, Ptacek, Michal, and Toman, Petr
- Subjects
INTERCONNECTED power systems ,TELECOMMUNICATION systems ,ENERGY infrastructure ,INFRASTRUCTURE (Economics) ,DIRECTED acyclic graphs ,ELECTRIC power distribution grids ,DIRECTED graphs - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. CZECH AND SLOVAK SYSTEMS OF INSTITUTIONAL CARE: DIFFERENT APPROACHES, COMMON GOALS.
- Author
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DANĚK, ALOIS, ŠOTOLOVÁ, EVA, and ŽOLNOVÁ, JARMILA
- Subjects
INSTITUTIONAL care - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Development of Digital Competences in Teaching Geography through the Creation of Multimedia Educational Material in the H5P Application
- Author
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Magdaléna Závodná and Katerina Kostolányová
- Abstract
In today's modern age, digital technologies are an essential part of everyone's life, so students must learn to use them in primary school. The specific competences defined in the European Digital Competence Framework DigComp 2.1 (2017) are divided into six areas. The Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic has subsequently drawn on this document to add digital competences to its Framework Education Programme (FEP). For this reason, a research experiment was conducted in the context of primary school teaching, which included the design of several specific lessons. The aim of this experiment was to test the research question of whether online collaboration between students using the BYOD model would lead to the acquisition of the subject curriculum, as well as the acquisition of selected digital competences. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present a design of a Geography teaching method in which students develop not only their subject knowledge but also selected digital competences, using the H5P application and the creation of a multimedia learning object, and to present the results of the research carried out. The paper includes a description of the individual lessons, the tasks set for the pupils and the methodology for the teachers. [For the full proceedings, see ED639391.]
- Published
- 2023
27. Innovations in the methodological approach to quantifying and evaluating the supported effects of forests for recreational and educational ecosystem services.
- Author
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ODVÁRKA, ZDENĚK and MEŇHÁZOVÁ, JITKA
- Subjects
ECOSYSTEM services ,FOREST landowners ,PAYMENTS for ecosystem services ,NEAR field communication ,TECHNOLOGICAL innovations - Abstract
The paper deals with a new method of innovative assessment of the supported effects and ecosystem services of forests using the actual amount of their increased costs. Among the most important research findings and signifi- cance of the new method is that it contributes to the body of knowledge on valuation and payment for ecosystem services. The focus of the research task is to help address the current difficult economic situation of forest owners resulting from the impacts of climate change. The study aims to determine what work quantifies the amount of compensation for the provision of supported ecosystem services that is sufficient for owners by using hypothesis testing. The evaluation of the supported effects was carried out in a case study in the area of the Chrudim-Podhůra Recreational Forests in the Czech Republic. The results of the evaluation were quantified in two experimental spreadsheets of the results, a comparative analysis of the evaluation results was performed, and hypothesis testing was conducted. The innovative methodological approach to the assessment of supported effects can be easily modified and used to assess the actual amount of increased costs of other ecosystem services of the forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. An Inclusive University Environment in the Czech Republic Based on the Example of Good Practice at the University of Pardubice.
- Author
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Datko, Ilona, Kochan, Izabela, Myslivec, Jaroslav, and Šándorová, Zdenka
- Subjects
COLLEGE environment ,INCLUSIVE education ,CIVIL society ,SOCIAL media - Abstract
The paper aims to present the research results concerning the pragmatic dimension of the participation of young people in selected organisations working in Poland and Ukraine. The research was comparative. Data collection involved a search of secondary data sources. All the available documents posted on the websites of the investigated organisations, including their statutes, rules and regulations, reports and accounts covering activities and operations, and social media (Facebook) posts, were analysed. An analysis of the data's content for the "pragmatic dimension of participation" category led us to three oppositions: public vs private, physical vs virtual and cyclical vs one-time, which the actions of chosen organisations can define. The results show that despite the differences in the three oppositions of the pragmatic dimension of participation in Polish and Ukrainian organisations, their mission is similar and boils down to taking all actions aimed at involving young people in developing a more democratic civil society in both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Corporate social responsibility and the relationship to stakeholders in large agricultural holdings in the Czech Republic.
- Author
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PECHROVÁ, MARIE ŠIMPACHOVÁ and ŠIMPACH, ONDŘEJ
- Subjects
SOCIAL responsibility of business ,AGRICULTURE ,STOCK ownership ,LEGAL liability ,CLUSTER analysis (Statistics) ,VALUE (Economics) - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. ADVANCE DIRECTIVES IN LEGISLATIVE AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS OF FAMILY LAW.
- Author
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LUCIĆ, Nataša and REŠETAR, Branka
- Subjects
DECISION making in law ,DOMESTIC relations ,COMPARATIVE law ,MEDICAL laws ,INTERNATIONAL law - Abstract
After appearing only in medical law for a long time, advance directives and other forms of voluntary measures are increasingly also being recognised as an effective protector of the right to self-determination in family law. The aim of the paper is to consider the Croatian model of advance decision making in family law, observing it in the context of European, international and comparative law. In this sense, the paper first provides an overview of relevant international and European documents, then briefly analyses different solutions to the discussion in question that exist in the national legislations of the selected European countries, namely, Germany, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Serbia, and finally a detailed analysis of Croatian law. The paper aims to point out certain doubts and ambiguities that exist in Croatian law, give suggestions for improving the legislation, and encourage the continuation of scientific research in this legal field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. SIMULATION ASSESSMENT OF THE HEADWAY UNDER THE ETCS L3.
- Author
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NACHTIGALL, PETR and TISCHER, ERIK
- Subjects
RAILROAD stations ,COMPUTER simulation ,RAILROAD tracks ,AUTOMATIC control systems - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. MODERN VEHICLES FOR REGIONAL RAILWAYS.
- Author
-
KOLÁŘ, JOSEF
- Subjects
ROAD-rail vehicles ,ROAD users ,ROLLING stock - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. EXPERIENCE WITH SLEEPER SUBSTRUCTURE DESIGN FOR A SPEED OF 200KPH ACCORDING TO THE S4 STANDARD.
- Author
-
HUBÁČKOVÁ, DANA, ŘÍHA, TOMÁŠ, and DUŠEK, ERIK
- Subjects
BALLAST (Railroads) ,RAILROAD track design & construction ,DEFORMATIONS (Mechanics) ,RAILROAD stations - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Organizational, local, and global innovativeness of family-owned SMEs depending on firm-individual level characteristics: evidence from the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
Ključnikov, Aleksandr, Civelek, Mehmet, Fialova, Vendula, and Folvarčná, Andrea
- Subjects
FAMILY business succession ,CIVIL liability ,LIMITED liability ,EDUCATIONAL attainment ,FAMILY-owned business enterprises ,ACQUISITION of data - Abstract
Research background: Comparing to larger businesses, SMEs encounter more problems in their operations. Since innovativeness enables SMEs to be more competitive against their rivals, having more innovative activities might make SMEs overcome these issues. Nevertheless, depending on businesses-founders/owners' characteristics, SMEs' innovativeness in organizational, local, and global extents might differ. Purpose of the article: This research explores differences in family-owned SMEs' innovativeness regarding the age of their founders/entrepreneurs, legal form, and succession of these businesses. Methods: The researchers used a questionnaire survey. Data collection process was completed in 2020. The research sample includes 343 family-owned SMEs that operate in Czechia. The normality test result directs the authors to perform an Independent sample T-test to find differences between selected variables. Findings & value added: According to the obtained results, global innovativeness does not differ depending on firms-owners/entrepreneurs' characteristics. However, limited liability firms perform better in local innovativeness than other firms structured in different legal forms. Moreover, the organizational innovativeness of SMEs with successors is greater than firms without successors. While organizational innovativeness does not differ depending on entrepreneurs/founders' age and legal structure of businesses, local innovativeness does not differ depending on entrepreneurs/founders' age and successors' existence in these businesses. The educational level of entrepreneurs/founders, sector, and SMEs' location might be reasons for similarities and differences between SMEs' innovativeness. From the policy perspective, based on the obtained results, the authors suggest creating industrial zones. Furthermore, policymakers' collaborations with other essential players in the market might stimulate innovative attitudes among businesses. This paper's main contribution to the existing literature is to fill the gap regarding organizational, local, and global innovativeness of family-owned SMEs by providing detailed and empirical results about entrepreneurs' and firms' characteristics. Thus, this paper might draw businesses, policymakers, academicians, and international readers' attention concerning family-owned SMEs' innovativeness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Agriculture farms product differentiation assessment in the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
CHOCHOLOUSEK, MICHAL, HLOUSKOVA, ZUZANA, SIMOVA, TEREZA, and HUML, JAN
- Subjects
PRODUCT differentiation ,FARMS ,MANUFACTURING processes ,CLUSTER analysis (Statistics) ,AGRICULTURE - Abstract
Farms generally produce products with low differentiation. To reach an increase in the profit and sales, product differentiation is one of the potential strategies that could be successfully applied. This paper identifies "Intermediate Consumption/Total Output" as a simple and user-friendly indicator for farm product differentiation performance and comparison assessment in the Czech Republic, based on a two-step cluster analysis performed on 1 225 farms with different operating conditions and reproduction process characteristics in the Czech Republic. The data are sourced from Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN CZ). Four farm clusters based on product differentiation levels are identified and described from the point of view of the production process and conditions. The resulting cluster profiles, in general, indicate the production conditions and process affecting the resulting product differentiation. Nevertheless, farms deliver extraordinary product differentiation values in fields with less favourable conditions and production processes. Those have the potential to be an inspiration for farms with lower product differentiation values. The result of this paper provides hope, less favourable conditions are not a limit for formidable performance. This paper result can be practically applied by anyone aiming to easily identify, evaluate, and compare farm product differentiation levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Social dominance orientation, intergroup contact and belief in traditional school culture as predictors for parents' attitudes to school segregation in the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
Cada, Karel and Gheorghiev, Olga
- Subjects
PARENT attitudes ,SEGREGATION in education ,SOCIAL dominance ,SCHOOL environment ,INSTITUTIONAL racism ,SCHOOL children - Abstract
Background: The over-representation of Roma children in segregated schools is well documented as a prevalent form of institutional racism in the Czech Republic. In the paper, we examine the inclination of parents to support school segregation. Objective: The paper looks at parents' preference for school segregation and explores its association to social dominance orientation, intergroup contacts, belief in traditional schooling and the absence of Roma children in school as proof of the school's good quality. The first hypothesis examines an association between parents' preference to withdraw their children from ethnically diverse schools and social dominance orientation (one's degree of preference for inequality among social groups). The second one tests the belief in traditional schooling as a factor contributing to a preference for ethnically motivated withdrawal. The third one studies the extent to which parents' preference to withdraw their children from ethnically diverse schools is affected by contact with Roma in their everyday life. The final hypothesis tests if parents who view Roma students as an indicator of poor education in a given school are more likely to oppose the presence of Roma students among their children's peers. Methods: Quantitative data collection was carried out on a sample of 1,803 respondents. The target group were families with at least one child of primary school age (6-14 years). A binary logistic regression analysis was implemented to assess these relationships. Results: The study confirmed that ethnically motivated school withdrawal is associated with social dominance orientation, belief in traditional school culture and education. On the other hand, the role of inter-group contact in a school environment was not proved. However, the final statistical model was rather weak explaining approximately 9% of variance in segregation endorsement. The model fit improved significantly when an additional variable -- absence of Roma as a sign of a good school -- was added. Approximately 15% of the variance in segregation endorsement was explained by the modified set of predictors. Conclusion: The study argues that ethnically motivated school withdrawal is a result of individual attitudes and situational factors. This means that researchers interested in informal school segregation will need to consider both groups of factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Operation of Water Supply Systems in the Czech Republic—Risk Analysis.
- Author
-
Caithamlová, Martina, Kročová, Šárka, and Mariňáková, Jitka
- Subjects
WATER supply ,FAILURE mode & effects analysis ,RISK assessment ,ENVIRONMENTAL infrastructure ,WATER quality - Abstract
A reliable supply of quality drinking water is a fundamental prerequisite for a healthy society and its economic development. Public ownership of water infrastructure is prevalent in most European countries. In the Czech Republic, however, water infrastructure is highly fragmented, which entails multiple risks. The fragmentation of the sector leads to a low economic efficiency of operations, the unstable quality of service provision, and significant price differences. The aim of the paper is to use the IFE matrix to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of different ways of operating water supply systems in the Czech Republic. Furthermore, through the FMEA method (failure mode and effects analysis), this paper tries to identify the risks and threats to drinking water supplies for selected operators (representing the most frequently used operating models) and, subsequently, it proposes measures to mitigate the identified risks. The topic was addressed in the form of a case study of selected water system operators in the Czech Republic, and the findings indicate the compartmentalized model to be the most appropriate operating model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Changes in SME Business Due to COVID-19—Survey in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
Janáková Sujová, Andrea and Kupčák, Václav
- Subjects
BUSINESS planning ,SMALL business ,BUSINESSPEOPLE ,NUMERIC databases ,NONGOVERNMENTAL organizations - Abstract
The objective of the paper is to analyse and compare the consequences of the coronacrisis on the entrepreneurship of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Slovakia and the Czech Republic with the aim of identifying the determinants of changes in entrepreneurship. The secondary empirical research was carried out based on the analysis of secondary and primary data. The analysis used economic indicators of SMEs, governmental measures and surveys of the views of entrepreneurs. The analysis used data from statistical databases and official reports from government institutions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as data from primary surveys conducted by NGOs. Descriptive statistics, financial analysis and cross-comparison methods were used to process the data. The results revealed changes in the business of SMEs in the Czech Republic and Slovakia during the crisis, such as the adaptation of business strategies, improvement of flexibility and acceleration of digitalisation processes. These changes highlighted the importance of building business agility. The summary of the main changes in SME business based on both secondary data and primary surveys and the perception of state anti-pandemic aid by managers as feedback to governments represent the main contributions of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Monitoring the Connection Between the Application of EFQM Model Principles and the Results of Organisations.
- Author
-
Bris, Petr and Urbanek, Tomas
- Subjects
JOB satisfaction ,CUSTOMER satisfaction ,QUALITY of service ,SOCIAL responsibility ,INNOVATIONS in business ,INTERNET surveys - Abstract
Purpose: The present paper evaluated the connections between the degree of fulfilment of the EFQM model's requirements and the organisation's size, key results, social responsibility, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction. Methodology/Approach: The dataset was acquired via an internet-based survey hosted on Google Forms. The survey targeted managerial personnel within manufacturing entities situated within the geographical boundaries of the Czech Republic. Findings: Research on the relationship between the degree of fulfilment of the EFQM model requirements and the organisation's size, critical organisational results, social responsibility, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction and overall organisational results demonstrated a moderately significant to strong correlation for all monitored indicators. Research Limitation/implication: The data is collected only in one specific country, but the production organisations in which the research was carried out are mainly foreign-owned. Originality/Value of paper: The current research results offer practical and theoretical implications. Theoretically, the research expands the literature on the EFQM model and its connection with current trends, which are the higher innovative activity of organisations and correlation with Industry 4. Practically, the research results will benefit managers, directors, and leaders of companies by allowing them to maintain an optimal level of quality management and estimate future requirements for complex enterprise integration. Category: Research paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. Consumer Perception of the Circular Economy as the Most Visible Environmental Pillar of Corporate Social Responsibility.
- Author
-
Ungerman, Otakar, Gryszel, Piotr, and Dědková, Jaroslava
- Subjects
CIRCULAR economy ,SOCIAL responsibility of business ,PERCEPTION (Philosophy) ,CONSUMER behavior ,INCENTIVE (Psychology) - Abstract
The world today is on the verge of exhausting its primary resources. In this situation the circular economy is undoubtedly a means of eliminating the shortage of raw materials faced by the Czech Republic and the whole of Europe. The development of the circular economy requires a change in how it is perceived by businesses as well as consumers. This paper is devoted to the perception and relationship between consumers and the circular economy. The potential offered by consumer behaviour as regards involvement in the circular economy lies in repairing, recycling and using products for other purposes, instead of discarding them in a landfill and then buying a new product. However, one fundamental prerequisite for this is that consumers decide to engage in the circular economy, a decision that can be motivated by economic conditions or personal incentives based on their own attitude to the environment. Two-level research was carried out in order to determine how the circular economy is perceived by consumers, where the qualitative method was first used to identify the concepts that consumers perceive as constituting the circular economy. The concepts were used to compile an original definition of the circular economy from the perspective of consumers. The concepts were subjected to quantitative data collection, identifying the importance of the concepts ascertained. The subsequent statistical evaluation served to detect differences in the perception of the importance of the identified concepts depending on consumer behaviour. The research shows that if consumers are aware of the importance of the circular economy, they themselves behave in a socially responsible manner. The assessment was intended to reveal differences in responses depending on the following demographic characteristics: age, gender, education and place of residence. It was apparent that only the respondents' education is statistically significant, with consumers with a higher education assigning greater importance to the circular economy and thus being more likely to get involved in this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. EXPERT WITNESS LIABILITY.
- Author
-
VOCHOZKA, MAREK
- Subjects
EXPERT evidence ,LEGAL documents ,OBEDIENCE (Law) ,PROFESSIONAL standards ,SCHOLARLY publishing - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
42. The Image of the Czech Agriculture Based on the National Television News in the Period of Adaptation of Czechia Into the European Union: Regional Perspectives.
- Author
-
Sucháček, Jan, Konečný, Ondřej, Wachowiak-Smolíková, Renata, and Wachowiak, Mark P.
- Subjects
TELEVISION broadcasting of news ,LAND use ,ORGANIC farming ,RURAL development ,AGRICULTURAL policy - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Innovation vouchers and cooperation: a different approach in two countries with a shared history.
- Author
-
Klímová, Viktorie, Glittová, Klaudia, and Žítek, Vladimír
- Subjects
COOPERATION ,COUNTRIES ,SOCIAL innovation ,BUDGET cuts - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. The Implementation of the Conjunction of Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0: A Case Study in the Czech Republic.
- Author
-
Efimova, Anastasia and Briš, Petr
- Subjects
SIX Sigma ,INDUSTRY 4.0 ,LEAN management ,LITERATURE reviews - Abstract
As advanced technologies are becoming a natural part of the industrial environment, the influence of these technologies on organizational practices is becoming more expanding. In this paper, an attempt was made to understand the conjunction of Lean Six Sigma and Industry 4.0. The study was conducted in the Czech Republic and qualitative data was gathered from 10 companies. The information on the benefits, weaknesses and challenges of the conjunction was summarized. For the research purposes literature review and qualitative analysis were performed. It was found out that, although the conjunction is connected with challenges, the perspectives are beneficial for industrial companies. The data generated also allowed to introduce the readiness assessment model for the implementation of the conjunction based on 4 categories: technological, managerial, financial and human. This information could be used for theoretical and practical purposes for the creation of a successful Lean Six Sigma pattern in Industry 4.0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. EFFECTIVENESS OF THE USE OF COMPENSATION BONUSES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC.
- Author
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TALÍŘ, MILAN, STRAKOVÁ, JARMILA, CHYTILOVÁ, EKATERINA, and CHAMRADA, DANIEL
- Subjects
- *
CHI-squared test , *BUSINESS size , *PRIVATE sector , *RESEARCH questions , *ECONOMIC change - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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46. DO BELIEFS IN CONSPIRACY THEORIES SPREAD THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECT WORK PERFORMANCE? A SURVEY OF MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY FORCES.
- Author
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MITÁČEK, RADEK, ŠIKÝŘ, MARTIN, SKÝPALOVÁ, RENATA, and JEŘÁBEK, TOMÁŠ
- Subjects
CONSPIRACY theories ,JOB performance ,ARMED Forces ,PERSONNEL management ,SOCIAL media - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
47. ENHANCING PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: ADOPTING THE CAPABILITY PHILOSOPHY IN ENGLAND'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.
- Author
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NAVRÁTIL, PAVEL
- Subjects
SOCIAL work education ,CAREER development ,EVIDENCE gaps ,EDUCATIONAL planning ,SOCIAL services - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. THE PRICE DEVELOPMENT OF SELECTED ENERGETIC COMMODITIES.
- Author
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MATASOVÁ, TEREZA, ROUSEK, PAVEL, and BESTA, MARTIN
- Subjects
PRICES ,ENERGY consumption ,CONSUMPTION (Economics) ,RUSSIAN invasion of Ukraine, 2022- ,PRICE inflation - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
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49. WHAT DO I DO WITH MY USED PHONE? THE SUSTAINABILITY IN ICT IN CZECH REPUBLIC.
- Author
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HOFMANN, FILIP and KUBEŠ, FILIP
- Subjects
ELECTRONIC waste ,SMARTPHONES - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Cross-border cooperation of Polish and Czech area-based partnerships supported by Rural Development Programmes: Genuinely international or solely national projects?
- Author
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Furmankiewicz, Marek and Trnková, Gabriela
- Subjects
RURAL development ,EVIDENCE gaps ,ECOTOURISM ,DELEGATED legislation ,COOPERATION - Abstract
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]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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