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Purpose – The research identifies the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on the stock prices of six publicly traded European airlines and evaluates their ability to adapt to this situation. Research methodology – The dependence of the development of airline stock prices on the level of public and institutional stress due to the war was measured using GoogleTrends and is analysed on the basis of a Vector Autoregression model (VAR). Findings – A short-term negative relationship was confirmed between the development of stock prices and GoogleTrends; the impact of the stress related to the war was negligible about 5 months after the outbreak thereof. Those companies that were the fastest to adapt to the shock of the war in terms of share prices are identified. Research limitations – The link between GoogleTrends, as an input variable reflecting market sentiment, and the stock prices of European airlines, is considered a limitation. Practical implications – The impact of investor sentiment on the returns on the stocks of airlines is a thing of the past; which is an important finding for financial market participants and airlines alike. Originality/value – The ability of the specific airlines to adapt to the shock of war creates a competitive advantage.

Development of new digital means requires teachers to dispose such level of didactic technological competences to be prepared properly to implement them into their teaching practice and to be not afraid to use them within their lessons. These facts evoke a need continuously to innovate curricula of the relevant part of teacher trainee study programs, to acquaint future teachers with the newest kinds and versions of available didactic tools and with advantages of their use to support both teaching and learning processes. A question how to design an optimal model of teacher training in the area of teacher trainees' didactic technological competences evoked a need to assess strengths and weaknesses of in-service teachers as to their professional digital literacy The paper presents a case study the aim of which was to assess level of the digital literacy of primary and secondary school teachers in Slovakia based on their self-reflection. Research sample of the case study consisted of 173 teachers, participants of teacher continuous education, representing three of eight regions of Slovakia. The teachers were asked to assess level of their digital literacy in relation to 17 of selected software applications used in teaching practice, i.e. to assess how skilled they are to use these means in their own teaching practice. Analysis of the teacher self-reflection was done in dependence on their majors (subjects they are qualified to teach) and teaching staff category they belong to. Results of statistical analysis of the collected data pointed out some important facts that should be reflected in innovations of the relevant area of curricula of teacher study programs at universities, or also in programs of further education of in-service teachers. However, data collection to the presented research was carried out before the corona pandemics. Nowadays, when under the corona pandemics conditions education is moving into the virtual reality and dominantly using on-line forms we see that even more important than to train teachers to use digital technologies in general is to train them to work with different application systems used in on-line education processes.

During the covid pandemic period of 2019–2020, teaching was carried out via homeschooling, and secondary vocational schools had to deal with the problem of ensuring the implementation of excursions, which were a part of their apprentices’ practical training. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of people at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (Slovakia) came up with a plan to develop some virtual excursions to help secondary vocational schools replace field trips with their virtual counterparts. In the paper, the authors describe the results of the stated intention: two virtual excursions aimed at the production and processing of metal products and verification of their applicability in educational practice based on a qualitative analysis of expert opinions collected by means of individually led semi-structured interviews. The conclusions of the analysis confirm the high degree of usability of the created excursions and verify some positive impacts of the implementation of virtual excursions into the teaching practice, e.g., it increased student motivation to learn, increased student interest in lesson content, increased student activity, and intensified study activities overall, including various forms of self-study.

In the paper there are presented results of a research inquiry of current state and perspectives of primary and lower level of secondary school teachers' professional development (ISCED1-ISCED3) in Slovakia with a focus on improvement and further development of their didactic technological competences. In frame of the presented research significance of the use of the digital means and various interactive educational activities in teaching processes to increase the efficiency of education was assessed. This significance was assessed from the point of view of different aspects of the education process. Analysis of the specified aspects of the teaching process, from the point of view of which the contribution of the use of the digital means in teaching processes, was done on the bases of a screening of teachers' opinions, in dependence on the segmentation factors sub-category of the teaching staff and length of teaching practice of the teacher.

The inclusion of sustainability criteria in the investment decision processes requires application of tools that consider the vague nature of sustainable characteristics. Fuzzy approach can process the vagueness of sustainability measures. The aim of the paper is to develop a suitable model of the fuzzy assessment of investment alternatives measured by Sustainability Utility Index. Its scheme is described methodologically as a three-stage system of multi-criteria ex-ante evaluation. An algorithmic conception of the system is performed at its third stage by a "fuzzy processor". The fuzzy model is applied to the task of the optimal type of building machinery selection in view of the cost and sustainable criteria. The results enable the manager to optimize his/her decision, who aims to minimize the investment and operation costs of the building machinery. Compared to the fuzzy approach based on Mandani's system, our model avoids several complications associated with the semantics of fuzzy implications in various fuzzy logics, it is more user friendly and easily algorithmized. This model is thus suitable to apply not only in corporate sphere but also in areas of ecology, sociology, economics. The limits of the fuzzy system are twofold - on the general level the fuzzy systems lack the ability to learn and memorize; determining or tuning a suitable membership function and fuzzy rules is not always clear. The challenge is first to test the model in the corporate sphere and second to acquaint potential users with this computationally undemanding fuzzy procedure.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 accelerated agricultural commodity prices and raised food insecurities worldwide. Ukraine and Russia are the leading global suppliers of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil. For this purpose, we investigated the relationship among these four agricultural commodities and, at the same time, predicted their future performance. The series covers the period from 1 January 1990 to 1 August 2022, based on monthly frequencies. The VAR impulse response function, variance decomposition, Granger Causality Test and vector error correction model were used to analyze relationships between variables. The results indicate that corn prices are an integral part of price changes in wheat, barley and sunflower oil. Wheat prices are also essential but with a weaker influence than that of corn. The additional purpose of this study was to forecast their price changes ten months ahead. The Vector Autoregressive (VAR) and Vector Error Correction (VECM) fanchart estimates an average price decline in corn, wheat, barley and sunflower oil in the range of 10%. From a policy perspective, the findings provide reliable signals for countries exposed to food insecurities and inflationary risk. Recognizing the limitations that predictions maintain, the results provide modest signals for relevant agencies, international regulatory authorities, retailers and low-income countries. Moreover, stakeholders can become informed about their price behavior and the causal relationship they hold with each other.

Adherence to fire safety regulations for wood is one of the most important tasks in its use in structural and architectural applications. This article deals with determining the influence of heat flux on the ignition process of spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) and beech wood (Fagus sylvatica L.). The heat flux was generated by an electric radiant panel. The analysed parameters included the ignition time of the spruce and beech wood samples, the influence of wood density, and sample moisture, and the course of sample combustion, both with and without flame, was observed. The heat flux was maintained at constant values, depending on the distance of the examined sample from the panel, along with the specific power of the radiation panel. The power of the radiation panel was set to constant values of 5 kW and 10 kW. The samples were placed at distances of 50, 70, 100, 150, and 200 mm from the heat source, and heat fluxes in the range of 13–92 kW·m−2 were observed. At a power of 5 kW and a heat flux of 64 kW·m−2, neither the sample of beech nor that of spruce wood, placed at the distance of 100 mm from the radiation panel, exhibited flaming combustion. The ignition time for the beech wood was approximately twice that of the spruce wood, likely due to the higher average wood density. It can be stated that wood density, as one of the main factors, significantly influences the ignition phase of burning. The statistical analysis examined variables including wood type, radiant panel output, distance, and heat flux in relation to ignition time. The analysis revealed a significant difference between ignition time and distance (p-value = 0.0000, H = 37.51583) as well as between ignition time and heat flux (p-value = 0.0000, H = 37.69726). Similarly, the time to ignition for all tested beech wood samples was longer than for spruce wood.

One of the key issues of the EU educational policy is quality assurance. The presented research represents a contribution to solving the issue of quality assurance of informatics education on the tertiary level of education in economy and managerial study fields. Within the research current state of informatics education in selected economy and managerial study programmes was analysed based on students' views and opinions. Necessary research data were collected through questionnaire survey respondents, who were students of the relevant study programmes in the Slovak and Czech Republics. The paper presents in more detail results of the questionnaire part which was focused on finding out how the students evaluate informatics education incorporated in their pre-graduate education considering its relevance to their study and career profiles. Another task of the research was to find out whether the students' evaluations depend on their gender and study specializations, and also whether there are some differences in the evaluations done by the students of the same or at least similar study programmes studying either in Slovakia or in the Czech Republic. As the results showed, students of the economy and managerial study programmes do not connect their future career with the information technologies and they do not have ambitions to be employed in the IT area. But at the same time, they are aware of the fact that the knowledge and skills obtained within their informatics preparation are important for their everyday life and future career. On the other hand, they are not satisfied with the quality of the informatics subjects they are taught. So, to assure the quality of their pre-gradual preparation does not mean only to innovate curricula of the informatics preparation but also to deal with the issues of an efficient transfer of these curricula content to students.

During as near as three decades after the political changes in Slovakia its system of education has undergone many reforms. As an integral part of them have been changes regarding school autonomy as it influences quality of education. To achieve an optimal model of autonomy offered to schools is very difficult, as appropriate level of autonomy is dependent on time and social conditions. To improve democratic participation of primary and secondary school leaders in Slovakia, a research aimed at assessment of the current state of the level of school autonomy was carried out. The research data were obtained from a questionnaire survey, the respondents of which were 93 headmasters and deputy headmasters. These school leaders assessed the power they (the schools) have in five fields, namely in the fields of school activity in the whole, school curricula matters, school financing and budgeting, staff recruitment, selection, employing and sacking, administrative and operational management. The assessment they give once with respect to the level in which to them given autonomy matches the tasks and problems they have to cope with, and the second time with respect to their opinion where the scope of the autonomy should be changed. Although the school leaders assessed the level of the powers they are given in a positive way, as average or broader, they still feel a need to have a broader scope of the powers and responsibilities, mainly in the field of financing and budgeting.

Sustainability of electricity prices hold an important part of the family budget, business operational costs, and vitality of the economy. Currently, multinational corporations are considered the main users of electricity and other energy recourses. For this purpose, we analyze the sustainability of electricity price and their impact equity stocks in the PX Index. The PX Index, which originates from Prague Stock Exchange is generally composed of firms in the financial and energy sector. This paper as well tries to predict the performance of these two variables in the 12 months ahead. The data cover the period from 1995 to 2022 standing on the monthly observations. The Vector Error Correction Model was used to detect the effect that electricity prices maintain on the PX Index. The estimated forecasts were conducted in the R program using Facebook Prophet and Auto ARIMA Model. The results indicate that non-sustainability of electricity prices negatively affect the equity stocks listed on the PX Index. Regarding predictions, the PX Index is expected to stay at almost the same levels while electricity prices increase. The results provide modest indications for investors, government, and regulators on the performance of these two indicators 12 periods ahead. Additionally, it is the first attempt to analyze the relationship between electricity prices and the equity markets since the liberalization of the Czech economy.

Rozdíl mezi výsledkem manažerského propočtu a skutečností lze do velké míry přičíst na vrub neurčitosti. V případě diskontované doby návratnosti (DPP) může jít o nejisté vstupy na úrovni investičních výdajů, cash flow a diskontní sazby. S tímto se lze částečně vyrovnat tím, že místo neurčitých bodových hodnot se vychází z intervalů možných hodnot. Metodologicky je toto řešeno definováním významných bodů vstupních parametrů pro výpočet DPP a z nich odvozených významných bodů intervalu fuzzy doby návratnosti (FPP) ve smyslu trojúhelníkových fuzzy čísel (TFN). Pro klasifikaci TFN je použita vážená metoda. Početní formule FPP se tím stává flexibilní z hlediska vyjádření víry v míru incidence vstupních dat v závislosti na aktuálně dostupných informacích, znalostech a zkušenostech hodnotitele. Dosavadní literatura tento aspekt pomíjí. Prakticky jsou dané vztahy aplikovány na vyčíslení intervalového odhadu FPP, který je parametrem pro zhodnocení investičního záměru modernizace hnědouhelné elektrárny.

Uncertainty is often encountered in relation to randomness or fuzziness. In the case of randomness, it can be described by means of a probability distribution; in the case of fuzziness, the fuzzy theory is applied. In the theoretical part, the authors deal with basic tools for describing both types of uncertainty. Probability and fuzzy method are interpreted in the context of their analogies and principal differences. Both techniques are applied in order to quantify the present expected value of a specific development project. The probabilistic solution leads to the point value E[PV], the fuzzy solution establishes the triangular fuzzy number with the subjective E[PV] not burdened with possible exaggerated expectations. The fuzzy approach proved to extend the probabilistic outcome by other additional information useful for decision-makers with different risk propensity.

This editorial seeks to define fragile pronatalism by highlighting why pronatalism in the examined Central and Eastern European post‐socialist countries should be considered fragile. Moreover, it aims to map desirable future changes in fertility policies in the region. Following a brief presentation of the articles contained in this thematic issue, our concluding thoughts complete this editorial.

This mixed‐methods article focuses on childlessness and barriers to parenthood among non‐heterosexual men in Czechia. On the quantitative sample of 419 men (165 gays, 125 bisexuals, and 129 heterosexuals with same‐sex romantic/sexual attraction), recruited on a representative online panel, we map the parenting desires, intentions, and perceived barriers to parenthood. Our analysis identifies a substantial group of gay men without parenting desires and intentions compared to heterosexuals and bisexuals, and the lack of legal recognition of same‐sex families as a crucial barrier to gay parenthood. The qualitative enquiry, based on semi‐structured interviews with 23 self‐identified gay men aged 25 to 47 years, explores how they reflect on (not) becoming parents and contextualises those reflections. The deployed concept of “parental consciousness” captures the variety of considered pathways to gay parenthood and proves itself useful in understanding the low parenting desires and a generational shift among Czech gay men. We argue that men able to come out in their early adulthood in the post‐socialist context tend to have more diversified perspectives on possible pathways to parenthood. Among gaymen without children, we identified three distinct perceptions of the state: given childlessness, chosen childfree life, and a life stage/indecision. The informants pursuing parenthood have seen identity‐specific barriers to parenthood as crucial, which is discussed in the context of state selective regulations of the relational lives of persons with non‐normative identities. Although Czech gay men’s parental consciousness has increased, legal conditions remain crucial for increasing their real‐life options.

Abstract Labile redox-active iron ions have been implicated in various neurodegenerative disorders, including the Parkinson's disease (PD). Iron chelation has been successfully used in clinical practice to manage iron overload in diseases such as thalassemia major; however, the use of conventional iron chelators in pathological states without systemic iron overload remains at the preclinical investigative level and is complicated by the risk of adverse outcomes due to systemic iron depletion. In this study, we examined three clinically-used chelators, namely, desferrioxamine, deferiprone and deferasirox and compared them with experimental agent salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (SIH) and its boronate-masked prochelator BSIH for protection of differentiated PC12 cells against the toxicity of catecholamines 6-hydroxydopamine and dopamine and their oxidation products. All the assayed chelating agents were able to significantly reduce the catecholamine toxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Whereas hydrophilic chelator desferrioxamine exerted protection only at high and clinically unachievable concentrations, deferiprone and deferasirox significantly reduced the catecholamine neurotoxicity at concentrations that are within their plasma levels following standard dosage. SIH was the most effective iron chelator to protect the cells with the lowest own toxicity of all the assayed conventional chelators. This favorable feature was even more pronounced in prochelator BSIH that does not chelate iron unless its protective group is cleaved in disease-specific oxidative stress conditions. Hence, this study demonstrated that while iron chelation may have general neuroprotective potential against catecholamine auto-oxidation and toxicity, SIH and BSIH represent promising lead molecules and warrant further studies in more complex animal models.

The essence of the Laffer curve is simple - it represents the relationship between the tax rate imposed by a government and the tax revenues. Tax revenues are the product of the tax rate and the tax base. For this article and based on the theory that underpins the Laffer curve, the application thereof is generalized, and the economic growth rate adopted instead of tax revenues. The purpose of this article is, on the basis of the theory that underpins the Laffer curve, to determine the optimal tax rate in the V4 countries and to compare the results across these countries. Data on the GDP growth rates and tax rates in the Visegrad countries (V4 countries) for the period 1995-2017 are collated and the regression method applied to them to determine the suitable parameter values. For this study, the V4 countries are looked at as a whole. According to the conclusion drawn, it can be stated that the relationship between the GDP growth rate and the tax rate is significant for the V4 countries, and that the parameters of the regression equations conform to the expected symbols. This implies that the Laffer curve conforms with the overall situation in the V4 countries. Further analysis of the optimal tax rate and the situation in each country showed that Poland and the Slovak Republic have the more appropriate tax rates, whereas the Czech Republic and Hungary need to appropriately adjust their tax rates.

Uncertainty is often encountered in relation to randomness or fuzziness. In the case of randomness, it can be described by means of a probability distribution; in the case of fuzziness, the fuzzy theory is applied. In the theoretical part, the authors deal with basic tools for describing both types of uncertainty. Probability and fuzzy method are interpreted in the context of their analogies and principal differences. Both techniques are applied in order to quantify the present expected value of a specific development project. The probabilistic solution leads to the point value E[PV], the fuzzy solution establishes the triangular fuzzy number with the subjective E[PV] not burdened with possible exaggerated expectations. The fuzzy approach proved to extend the probabilistic outcome by other additional information useful for decision-makers with different risk propensity.

Currently science education is understood not only as education in mathematics, physics and chemistry, but also as an education in informatics. To analyze the current state of informatics education within the tertiary economy and managerial study fields was the aim of the research, the purpose of which was to support curricula innovation in the relevant study programmes and to bring their content closer to the demands and needs of the labour market. An original feature of the research has been the fact that it has been based on students` points of view. The research sample consisted of students of the concerned study programmes in the Slovak and Czech Republic. The paper presents methodology of the carried out questionnaire survey and main findings related to the data recorded at items focused on database systems and technologies. The obtained data related to the respondents` opinions and the assessments of the selected learning topics taught within their study programmes and the importance of these topics for the respondents` professional career were processed according to the factors of the country, gender and field of the study. The results showed a significant dependence of the respondents` answers on their field of the study independently on their gender and the country in which they took their study.

The use of controlling in the business sphere is relatively broad and its essence can be perceived diversely by enterprises of different sectors and sizes. The aim of the research is to identify the current state of the use of controlling in Slovak manufacturing enterprises with an assessment of the perception of its essence in terms of capital structure and business performance measured by the Return on Sales (ROS). Total of 347 enterprises were asked by means of stratified sampling in 2020. Goodness-of-fit test was used when examining the representativeness of the research sample and for individual hypotheses the two-sample test of relative frequencies, relative frequency test, 95% interval estimates of relative frequencies, contingency and Pearson’s chi-square test were applied. Testing confirmed the existence of statistically significant correlation between the capital structure of manufacturing enterprises and the level of wider perception and practical use of the essence of controlling in relation to the performance measured by ROS. In conclusion is demonstrated that the potential of controlling in enterprises is not fully used, especially in the form of comprehensive secondary coordination of management and the possible directions of using it are outlined, with a positive impact on business performance.

The article presents the predictive capabilities of a fuzzy multi-criteria evaluation system that operates on the basis of a non-fuzzy neural approach, but also one that is capable of implementing a learning paradigm and working with vague concepts. Within this context, the necessary elements of fuzzy logic are identified and the algebraic formulation of the fuzzy system is presented. It is with the help of the aforementioned that the task of predicting the short-term trend and price of the Tesla share is solved. The functioning of a fuzzy system and fuzzy neural network in the field of time series value prediction is discussed. The authors are inclined to the opinion that, despite the fact that a fuzzy neural network reacts in terms of applicability and effectiveness when solving prediction problems in relation to input data with a faster output than a fuzzy system, and is more “user friendly”, a sufficiently knowledgeable and experienced solver/expert could, by using a fuzzy system, achieve a higher speed of convergence in the learning process than a fuzzy neural network using the minimum range of input data carrying the necessary information. A fuzzy system could therefore be a possible alternative to a fuzzy neural network from the point of view of prediction.

Integrovaná výuka je jedním z trendů současného vzdělávání a je mj. zakotvena v dokumentech vzdělávací a kurikulární politiky. Umožňuje uplatnění různých (mezipředmětových, logických, strukturních, analogických) vazeb v obsahu vzdělávacích oblastí, zejména pak propojení teoretických poznatků s praktickými činnostmi žáků. Vzhledem k tomu, že učitelé v České republice jsou připravováni ve dvouoborových aprobacích, domníváme se, že by pro ně mohla být komplexní integrovaná výuka novinkou či výzvou. Tento příspěvek prezentuje případovou studii, v níž byl sledován postup, jakým způsobem je integrovaná výuka zaváděna do praxe na vybrané základní škole. Zajímali jsme se o faktory, které podporují či brzdí její efektivní zavádění, a sledovali jsme také pohledy konkrétních osob, které se na její implementaci podílely. Výsledky výzkumu rozvoje školy ukazují, že pro úspěch implementace integrované výuky do praxe je potřebná aktivní a motivovaná spolupráce aktérů na různých úrovních v organizaci školy, včetně vytvoření příslušných podmínek na těchto úrovních. Ke stejným závěrům jsme dospěli v naší studii, v níž nám čtyři respondenti z vybrané školy, která se snaží o implementaci integrované výuky do praxe, poskytli informace o své osobní zkušenosti s tímto přístupem, o příležitostech a rizicích souvisejících s procesem implementace, o vhodných podmínkách a svých vizích. Domníváme se, že prezentované informace mohou být příkladem zajímavé zkušenosti z praxe, ale i inspirací pro učitele, studenty učitelství, vzdělavatele učitelů či vedení škol k efektivnímu plánování a implementaci integrovaného kurikula do výuky přírodovědných předmětů a matematiky.

The sector of knowledge intensive services is very often neglected, although it is very important for today's economy – it is highly innovative, fast-growing and usually provides highly paid and stimulating employment, involved in the creation and transfer of knowledge. It provides knowledge-intensive inputs to other entities in the private and public sectors. It deals with activities concerned primarily with human capital, thanks to the knowledge and skills of employees who are available to other companies. The aim of the article is to estimate the Cobb-Douglass production function for the knowledge intensive services sector and to compare it with the production function of the manufacturing sector which is one of the decisive sources of gross domestic product. Data for the period 1995-2018 in the annual frequency come from the database of the Czech Statistical Office. The output of the industry is measured as gross output at current prices, the amount of capital expressed by means of Gross fixed capital formation and work as employment in the sector. The change in capital per worker has the highest impact on output in the case of the manufacturing industry, which is dependent on physical capital. In the case of the fields of information and communication activities and professional, scientific and technical activities, the increase in the capital adequacy of work will be reflected in a lower increase in output per worker. These sectors are linked to human capital, so the non-inclusion of human capital in the production function leads to misleading results.

Becoming a good teacher is a matter of how a teacher works in practice, during which he or she gains experience and learns not only how to teach but how to teach well. The pre-service teacher training is only a beginning of this process. And even if a teacher acquires the ability to teach well, this ability cannot be considered as already definitely or completely developed and sufficient. One of the key factors supporting a teacher in his or her more or less lifelong effort to reach "excellence" in his or her professional career is teacher evaluation. As it was presented at the V International Forum on Teacher Education IFTE 2019, Constantine the Philosopher University was a solver of a national project Evaluation of Teachers Competences (2016 – 2019). The main goal of the project was to develop evaluation tools applicable to valuate quality and qualification of primary and secondary school teachers teaching performance. The set of the developed evaluation tools has been based on a stratified approach and has been assigned for all teachers, without any regard to their majors. In Slovakia one of the compulsory subjects taught at the lower level of secondary education is the subject Technology. A specificity of this subject is that its concept is based on practical activities of students, which should be practised in specially equipped classrooms (so-called school workrooms). With respect to this specificity Technology subject teachers should have, beside the "basic general” competences needed for a successful teacher`s performance of his or her profession (which are common for the successful performance of the teacher profession independently on the subject s/he teaches), also some other, specific competences connected with their ability to carry out educational activities in the environment of the school workrooms. From the above-mentioned results a question to which measure the developed evaluation tools are applicable in practice also for Technology subject teachers. To verify the applicability of the designed tools in relation to Technology subject teachers a case study was carried out. In the paper methodology and summary of the results of the carried out case study are presented.

This article deals with the issue of further corporate education in information and communication technologies (ICT) in companies in the Czech Republic, namely in the context of the start and the development of Industry 4.0. Enterprises of all size categories, i.e. micro enterprises, small and medium enterprises and large enterprises from all three economic sectors, i.e. primary, secondary and tertiary sectors were addressed through a questionnaire survey. The goal of the questionnaire survey was to ascertain what priorities of further education companies had in relation to their present and future needs, and particularly whether the education in the field of information technologies, which is important for the maintenance of their competitiveness in relation to Industry 4.0 are among these priorities. Nevertheless, the results of the research have shown that the required priority is not given to education in the field of information technologies in companies. They have actually proven that only 38 per cent of 126 companies give high or maximum priority to education in the field of information technologies.

Objectives. Achieved fertility is lower than intended fertility in Europe. The factors contributing to this mismatch are thus an important research topic. The objective of this study is to identify the factors that contribute to the unfulfilment of short-term fertility intentions and to changes in the intended number of children to improve our understanding of the mismatch between achieved and intended fertility in Czechia. Material and methods. Binary logistic regression is applied to data on people aged 18-45 from two waves of the Generations and Gender Survey from 2005 and 2008 to explore what factors contribute to the unfulfilment of short-term fertility intentions, and to the Life Course 2010 data on people aged 25-60 from 2010 to identify what factors contribute to changes in the intended number of children. Descriptive statistics show the most cited reasons for the downward or upward changes in fertility intentions. Results. The results show the importance of gender, partner, age, cohort, and the two-child norm for the chance that short-term fertility intentions will be left unfulfilled and the chance that people will change the number of children they plan to have. The results confirm that short-term fertility intentions are predictors of fertility behaviour, and labour market instability and siblings are factors that influence the number of children a person intends to have. Economic conditions, health, and the absence of a partner are the main reasons given to explain downward changes in the number of children people plan to have, while a change of values / new experiences and the influence of one‘s partner explain upward changes. Conclusions. This study contributes to existing knowledge by testing factors associated with both, the fulfilment of short-term fertility intentions and changes in lifetime fertility intentions. They are rarely analysed together, although they both contribute to the postponement of childbearing and the mismatch between intended and achieved fertility.

Nepřesnost předpovědí tempa růstu HDP je způsobena nedostatkem informací potřebných k odstranění nejistoty. Cílem příspěvku je v krátkém období předpovědět tempo růstu HDP fuzzy metodou; ta je vhodným nástrojem pro analýzu problémů zatížených nejistotou. Za tím účelem bude nejprve stručně diskutována vhodnost fuzzy přístupu v porovnání se statistickými metodami v nedeterministických případech. Základní principy teorie fuzzy množin jsou popsány a následně použity v predikci tempa růstu HDP v Řecku pro roky 2018 (ve srovnání s oficiální ekonometrickou prognózou) a 2020 (přínos příspěvku). Krátkodobá prognóza se opírá o vstupní složky předchozího čtyřletého vývoje tří makroekonomických ukazatelů (úrokové sazby, investic a nezaměstnanosti), které jsou základními vstupními parametry modelu. Výsledky fuzzy predikce neprokázaly významné odchylky od statistických předpovědí. Nicméně monotónní vývoj vstupních dat modelu nám umožnil demonstrovat jeden ze způsobů, jak mohou odborníci korigovat nedostatky fuzzy algoritmu.

Review of book Sekeráková Búriková, Z.: Panie k deťom a na upratovanie

The paper deals with the application of concept mapping in teaching mathematics at the primary level of education (ISCED 1), as well as the experimental verification of its qualitative contribution to the process of education. The authors present results obtained in a sample survey aimed at monitoring possibilities of influencing pupils’ relationship to teaching and mastery of mathematics using digital concept maps within the process of pedagogical intervention. The authors tested the degree to which digital concept maps influence changes in the pupils’ opinions and attitudes to mathematics (subject popularity, interest in the subject, easiness of understanding, fear and apprehension of mathematics) while explaining and fixating the curriculum of selected mathematics topics in the third grade of a primary school. The results of the experiment did not confirm that teaching supported by concept maps contributes to reducing pupils’ negative attitudes towards subjects, particularly in mathematics at the primary level (ISCED 1). Due to the pedagogical intervention of concept mapping, no statistically significant changes occurred in the pupils’ attitudes to the observed factors of mathematics. However, the authors have come up with research findings that may be notable in the field of branch didactics of mathematics and digital technologies.

The complex nature of the social position of people with disabilities in the Czech labour market is under-researched. Intersectionality is a useful perspective that stresses the socio-contextual, as opposed to the individualist, nature of disability. It explores the dynamics of the interactions between the systems of inequality that create diverse barriers and opportunities in access to employment and to good working conditions for people with disabilities. Using an intersectional perspective, binary logistic regression, and a thematic analysis of interviews with men and women with disabilities and interviews with people working in organisations that support people with disabilities, we set out to answer the following questions: (1) Are people who assess their health as worse more at risk of potentially precarious work than people who assess their health as better, and what other factors contribute to this? (2) How is the risk of precarious work perceived by people with disabilities and how is their experience shaped by various sources of disadvantage? Intergroup intersectional analysis shed light on the systems of inequality and the interactions between them that leave disabled persons more vulnerable to contractual precarity. Intragroup intersectional analysis helped provide a contextual understanding of how gender and education together structure the access of people with disabilities to decent and secure employment, focusing on access to paid work and contractual conditions and remuneration.

Many companies face an economic downturn due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak, which makes their future uncertain. The practical aim of the paper is to establish a procedure for an effective prediction of a business tendency to bankrupt in the short-term period. The tool is a three-stage fuzzy model formulated in the theoreticalmethodological part and applied on the real data of an examined company. The model input parameters are objective and subjective measured data between 2008-2020 of a nature affecting the output. The output is an interval of subjectively expected values determining the non-Bankruptcy trend (non-B) of a company. The paper shows advantages of the interval fuzzy approach for bankruptcy prediction and identifies the measure of business safety.

The debate about the economic impact of multinational firms on a host country has been taking place for many years. Part of this discussion involves the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the unemployment rate and economic growth. Analysis of FDI development, unemployment rate and the real domestic product (GDP) was carried out within the regions of the Czech Republic over the last decade. Comparative method and correlation analysis was applied to investigate the degree of dependence between the FDI level and the convergence of the poorer regions towards the more developed ones in terms of the examined characteristics. Results of the comparative analysis indicate that the effect of FDI on unemployment and GDP is insignificant. Statistical dependence between foreign investment inflow and economic growth has not been demonstrated; neither has the correlation between FDI and unemployment been proved. Insensitivity of the monitored variables on FDI development can be regarded as a serious problem for the “effectiveness” of this type of incentive policy.

The global outbreak of the COVID-19 and the measures taken, disrupted fundamentally economies around the world. Almost all sectors were affected. The experts have long emphasised the Czech economy’s dependence on the automotive industry. Car producers and companies linked to them have been loaded by severe difficulties after the pandemic outbreak. The article shows one of the constructive ways how to forecast a change in the passenger cars production in the Czech Republic in 2020. Metodologically we lean on a procedure of the fuzzy approach. The prediction itself cannot be derived from the series of historical data of the variables that are related to the target output variable as shown in the fuzzy prediction of GDP for 2018 by this author. Due to the extreme situation caused by pandemic outbreak, the role of expert predictions come intensively into play with their outcomes becoming the set of input data to the fuzzy model. The result of the fuzzy forcast of a change in the cars production in CZ for 2020 shows a greater drop than the official statistical model claims.

Research background: The global outbreak of the COVID-19 and, as a result, the measures taken fundamentally disrupted the lives of people and economies. Private and public demand, industrial production, supply chains, etc. were affected. Given the severity of these shock changes, it is clear that the European Union will have experienced a severe economic recession. Purpose of the article: Economists have long pointed to the Czech economy’s strong dependence on the automotive industry. Carmakers and a number of companies connected to them have been chained into existential difficulties after COVID-19 outbreak. However, the scenario of redirecting the industry is not real. Methods: The article maps the declines in the forecast of GDP development in 2020 and 2021 in selected EU countries and statistically evaluates the historical dependence of Czech exports on German car production. Findings & Value added: According to predictions, the Czech Republic expects the highest negative deviations in comparison with other EU countries. Reality will show what role a strong dependence on the automotive industry plays in this. The results of the statistics of the previous decade do not confirm the fundamental dependence of Czech exports on German automobile production. As the results indicate, Czech exporters are already diversifying at least in the sense of the target markets. The author raises the question whether the concept of public belief in the importance of supporting Czech carmakers as important producers of GDP on the export side can be the result of a strong lobbying by carmakers.

Investor’s risk involves both economicand non-economic factors, which are evaluated by ratingsagencies.Within this context, estimates are calculated of the percentage value of the qualityof theentrepreneurial environment”p“ for selected countries inEurope and Asia.They are based on the modified values of the indices of the partial componentsof the quality of the entrepreneurial environment (levels of corruption, economic and politicalstability).The partial components of theratingevaluation are processed by means of fuzzy logic, which enables the description of vague and uncertain input data and sociological-psychologicalfactors that occur duringmanagerial tasks.Fuzzy logic is based on the fundamentals of classicpropositional logic, whereby the truth-valueof each A statement is generalized as|A|0,1and is interpreted as the extent or degreeof its truthfulness. Compared to the statistical approach, fuzzy logic is discussed and evaluated in terms of particular managerial tasks