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This paper explores the long-term persistence of interregional differences in self-employment rates. The analysis, based on spatial Durbin error models, was performed for 206 Czech regions from 1930 to 2011. The results obtained supported the ‘persistence claim’ because regional self-employment rates in 1930 were found to be positively and significantly associated with those obtained in 1991, 2001 and 2011. Moreover, this study contributes to the knowledge about transmission channels of historical entrepreneurial experience. First, a new mechanism related to the career and educational paths of individuals with a pre-socialist entrepreneurial family background is suggested. Second, the newcomers’ capacity to absorb knowledge and skills is emphasized as crucial for the functioning of pre-socialist ‘entrepreneurial memory’.

As our research has shown, the number of foreign tourists visiting Czechia rose in the period between 2012 and 2017, as did hotel occupancy and accommodation prices. The growth of the local economy, the new airlines from Asia and the USA to Prague, and the perception of the Czech metropolis as a safe destination, played a big part in it. Compared to other accommodation facilities, the number of 5- and 4-star hotels is still growing in Czechia, thus better meeting the needs of demanding tourists. According to experience and statistical data, these are non-European tourists and tourists with above-average income. The growth in the number of these tourists had a strong influence on the increase in the number of hotels and the increase in the capacity of the highest-category hotels. Building new, quality hotels, and renovating historical buildings to a higher standard to provide an outstanding experience for foreign tourists staying in Czechia, can contribute to achieving the sustainability of the tourism sector in the country. Also mentioned is the current impact of the coronavirus pandemic on tourism in Czechia. A statistical analysis of time series of indicators and hypothesis testing were the main methods used in the study.

The purpose of this study is to express changes in consumer preferences for certain food products due to the income growth of the population, and to specify the way producers or retailers of these commodities respond to the changes in customer choices. The methodology of this study is based on comparing the economic model of consumer behavior in the market to the analysis of demand elasticity, together with its practical application to food products of the same brand offered by multinational chains in Czechia and Germany. The study presents a new survey, including a comparison of the quality and safety of food products offered by retail chains in Czechia and Germany, and a comparison with similar bio-quality products offered by Czech farmers in their shops or at farmers’ markets. As the comparison indicates, unless multinational producers change their current behavior, consumers will prefer purchasing products from Czech producers, including products offered at farmers’ markets, and shop in neighboring countries where higher-quality original products may be found.

This study aims to calculate the costs of prostate cancer radiotherapy in a regional hospital Department of Radiation Oncology equipped with Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy (3D-CRT) and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT) radiation technology, using activity based costing (ABC), and to compare the costs of both methods at the level of component treatment process activities and with respect to insurance reimbursements. The costing was performed based on a sample of 273 IMRT VMAT patients and 312 3D-CRT patients in a regional hospital in the period from 2018 to 2019. The research has highlighted the necessity to place emphasis on factors that may skew the costing results. The resulting output has been supplemented by a sensitivity analysis, whereas the modeled parameter is represented by the time required for one patient fraction on a linear accelerator and the time the Radiology Assistant needs to prepare the complete radiation plan as part of radiotherapy planning. Moreover, the effects of the received grant, in the form of calculated write-offs, are also considered. The case study uses the example of radiotherapy to demonstrate the potential of ABC and suggests considering the application of this method as an effective management tool for cost and economic evaluation as part of comprehensive hospital assessment under the Hospital-Based Health Technology Assessment (HB-HTA) initiative.

This case study presents the results of research which focused on the perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by customers in a target segment of a selected fast-food chain in Czechia and its impact on their purchasing behavior. A total of 264 duly completed questionnaires were analyzed. Furthermore, the article presents the specifics of the development and fulfillment of the CSR concept in Czechia and at the same time points out differences in the implementation of the McDonald&rsquo, s CSR concept at the global level compared to its implementation at the national level in the Czech environment. Statistical dependence between age as well as education and understanding the essence of CSR was proven, while no correlation was identified when it comes to gender. Among factors affecting the purchasing decision-making process in the target segment of a selected company, CSR activities (i.e., the environmental mindset of the company) rank fourth after price, quality, and recommendations from friends. The results of this research can be applied to other restaurant establishments in Czechia, taking into consideration their target segments, and used for further research into the awareness and effect of CSR on consumer purchasing behavior and its comparison at the international level.

Each year, around 2% of the four million hectares of farmland in Czechia changes owners. However, after years of significant growth in prices, a slowdown in pace and demand is expected. Rising interest rates, a strengthening of the crown and legislative changes in 2018 have influenced the price of farmland. Yet the prices of farmland in Czechia are a third of those in the countries of Western Europe, and so it still represents an interesting opportunity for investors. Currently, land is bought primarily by the farmers who work it. In Czechia, 80% of farmers farm on hired land, and rent increases are starting to be an issue for many of them. The return on the investment in agricultural land is currently around 50 years for an owner and 25 years for a farmer working the land. As research has shown, the price of farmland is an important factor in the sustainable development of agriculture in Czechia, along with the greening of production and the fight against soil erosion and the effects of climate change.

Hop-growing has had a long tradition in the Czech Republic, and it remains in the interest of the Czech economy to further develop this agricultural sector. With an almost one-tenth share of the harvest, the Czech Republic is the third largest producer of aroma hops in the world after Germany and the US, which together account for over two-thirds of the hop market. The purpose of this article is to describe the current state of the Czech and global markets in hops, and the position of the dominant company, Chmelarstvi, druzstvo Zatec, on this market. Towards the end of 2017, the area of hop fields in the Czech Republic reached 4,945 ha, which is the most in the last 7 years. Year-over-year, this represents an increase of 3.4%. The increase was caused by the current demand for quality Czech hops and the weak European harvest in 2015. Thus, the storehouses emptied, and breweries' stores all over the world, to which 80% of domestic hop production is supplied, ran out. Since then, demand and prices have increased to a level that has begun to cover the costs of hop production. This has also meant that investments in hop production have increased. With the increasing area of hop fields in the Czech Republic, hop growers have to deal with a significant problem, which is the unavailability of workers., Agricultural sciences, Economics, Chmelarstvi, druzstvo Zatec, Hops, Hops production, Hop fields, Hop yields

The purpose of the article is the elaboration of suggestions leading to the improvement of the Czech viticulture position on wine markets by means of the analysis of the development of the contemporary state of viticulture and consumption of wine in the Czech Republic (CR). The methodology of the following study comes from the comparison of data about the vine-growing and wine production of the Czech Republic, description of the EU legislature and authors’ own findings about consumers’ preferences in the consumption of wines in the Czech Republic. Then the follow-up analysis will become the basis for the elaboration of recommendation towards the improvement of the Czech viticulture position on the global wine market. The state wants to keep employment in the field of viticulture to support the position of the Czech wine on foreign markets and to support young vintners up to 40 years old through the programme of subsidies into vine-growing and wine-making. Domestic production of wine, which is pref...

This case study investigates the cross-border shopping behavior and potential of Czech customers in Upper Palatinate (Bavaria). Based on a point of sale survey (POS) and two household surveys with more than 500 participants, the expenditures of Czech customers in the retail market in Upper Palatinate are estimated using linear potential methods. Using a logit model, the study also attempts to identify the main drivers of cross-border shopping, aiming at increasing its intensity and thus furthering the development of the cross-border region. The distance from the place of residence to the border is the strongest influencing variable, but demographic characteristics also impact the decision to go shopping in Bavaria. Finally, specific activities within the categories of “welcome culture” and “marketing and communication” aimed at promoting the cross-border shopping of Czech customers in Upper Palatinate are proposed. Local retailers should especially benefit from the frequency function of grocery stores as well as develop combination offers, e.g., with tourist facilities, following sustainable development trends.

This paper presents a time analysis of the prices of pork in the food value chain for five European countries from 2010 to 2018 with respect to the position of small farms in the European market. T...

The aim of the presented article is to evaluate the impact of climate change on the sugar content of grapes in the Czech Republic during the period 2000–2019 through selected indicators on the basis of available secondary sources. Attention is focused on the developments in both the main wine-growing regions of Moravia and Bohemia. In the field of viticulture and wine-growing, the sugar content of grapes, as a basic parameter for the classification of wines, plays an important role. In the Czech Republic, the average sugar content of grapes has had a constantly growing trend. This trend is evident both in the wine-growing region of Bohemia and in the wine-growing region of Moravia. The impact of climate change, especially the gradual increase of average temperatures in the growing season, cannot be overlooked. It greatly affects, among other things, the sugar content of grapes. Calculations according to the Huglin Index and the Winkler Index were used to determine the relationship between climate and sugar content. These indexes summarize the course of temperatures during the entire vegetation period into a single numerical value. The results show that both indexes describe the effect of air temperature on sugar content in both wine regions of the Czech Republic in a statistically significant way. The Huglin Index shows a higher correlation rate. The Winkler Index proved to be less suitable for both areas. Alternatively, the Winkler Index calculated for a shorter growing season was tested, which showed a higher degree of correlation with sugar content, approaching the significance of the Huglin Index.

Purpose Vine growing for the production of wine constitutes one of the major areas of agriculture of the Czech Republic, and in recent years, it has been qualitatively improved. The purpose of this paper is to find out whether oligopolistic market structures have come into being on the sparkling wine market in the Czech Republic, and whether some wine firms have a dominant position on the sparkling wine market. Design/methodology/approach The purpose of this study is to find, compare and carry out a statistical analysis of data on the production and sale of sparkling wines in the Czech Republic, in particular the indicators of the sales and profits of the dominant producer, Bohemia Sekt. In retail chains in the Czech Republic, the price of domestic and foreign sparkling wines was then compared with a comparative analysis. Findings The dominant seller of sparkling wine on the Czech market is Bohemia Sekt, which is also the largest domestic non-sparkling and sparkling wine producer. Bohemia Sekt sold 11 m bottles of sparkling wine on the Czech market in 2015 and maintained a 67 per cent share of the domestic market. Traditionally, Christmas time and the end of the year is the main season for selling sparkling wines in the Czech Republic, as more than one-third of the annual production of all wineries is sold at this time. Originality/value The paper presents a finding about the consistency of the prices of sparkling wines offered in retail chains in the Czech Republic. This confirms the validity of using the model of oligopolistic competition with a dominant company on the sparkling wine market in the Czech Republic. The dominance of Bohemia Sekt in the given market is mainly due to the loyalty of Czech consumers to this brand.

The research subject is the sale of mineral water, the production of which has the character of a monopoly due to the control of the resources necessary for the production of this product by one firm. The goal of this article is to express the amount of economic profit (within a monopoly) of companies that produce mineral water, achieved due to their privileged position on the given segment of the market; the expression of a value chain of mineral water production will be the means of achieving this objective. The research will also result in recommendations for the behaviour of producers and consumers in a given segment of the mineral water market. The survey shows that due to their monopolistic position on the mineral water market, up to CZK 34 of the firms' earnings per litre of mineral water has the character of pure economic profit; this represents, on average, a monopoly profit of 76.87% of the price of the product.

The rapid development of information and communication technologies (ICT) allows their use in all areas of human activity. An increasing number of university students is also reflected in the conditions of the universities in the Czech Republic. However, current financial possibilities of the educational and research capacities of departments do not suffice to a rapid increase in the number of students. A solution can be the introduction of ICT into a teaching process; computers save time for both the teachers and students while enabling intensive use of space and simplifying the administration of tests. The paper aims to express the impact of using ICT on level of knowledge, respectively classification of university students enrolled in course Economics on the example of e-learning system Moodle. A partial aim of the study is the generalization of experience with learning management systems and the expression of their positives and negatives. As shown by our research the introduction of smart education from 2006 to 2015 first led to a drop and subsequently to an improvement in the quality of the students’ performance.

The aim of the paper is to illustrate the existing measures of measuring market structures and demonstrate the use of these measures for the selected industry. For the analysis was taken the dairy market in the Czech Republic in the year 2012. This market includes four main stages: milk production; processing and pasteurization of milk; wholesale and retail of milk. The outcome of the analysis determines concentration ratios and types of competition at each stage of the dairy market. Calculations are demonstrated under the Czech antitrust law which operates under the Act no. 143/2001 Coll., On Protection of Competition. Calculations presented in the article can be used by antitrust authorities for evaluating types of competition and concentration ratios within a market. Among the main priorities of the calculations performed in the paper is its simplicity that does not require a large collection of data and complex mathematical calculations.

The sale of beverages whose production has the character of a monopoly due to the original recipe used in their production has been chosen as the subject of this research. The purpose of this paper is to express the rate of exploitation of the consumer surplus in second-degree price discrimination in relation to selected drinks of monopolistic character. This concerns the advantage of consumers' buying individual drinks compared with buying large (cumulative) packages of the product. The methodology of scientific research is based on monitoring the prices of selected beverages in international retail chains and a comparative analysis of collected data. The survey shows that, thanks to second-degree price discrimination, the seller receives a consumer surplus amounting to 1/3 for the sale of individual pieces of the product.

Purpose of the article:The text of this article deals with oligopolistic competition on the food marketin terms of behaviour of grocers and with the impact of this competition upon market competition in thesector. Oligopoly can be defined as a market model of imperfect competition, for which a small numberof firms within a sector is characteristic, as well as their high level of mutual dependence when consideringtheir decision making.Scientific aim:The aim of the paper is to find out whether the oligopoly with the dominant firm competitionhappens to be created in the food-products market, in what range this competition appears in givensector and whether it can notably influence the price level of the food products and therefore have animportant impact on consumer demand in the Czech Republic.Methodology/methods:When creating the article, we used information from published statistical studiesof Incoma Company about revenues of food production between 2008 and 2009; the main methodsused for the scientific investigation are: the method of description (a description of market separationamong food chains), further the mathematical method (percentage rate of change) and partially othermethods.Findings:As is evident from the share of firms in the market of food products, there is no chain store,which would meet the criterion of market dominance. The number one on the Czech market of foodproducts remains a long-term group Schwarz (Kaufland, Lidl), but its market share, expressed as salesindicators, is only a quarter of total group revenues.Conclusions:We can say that none of the individual companies on the market with food products meetsthe criterion of dominant place on the market; however, this does not exclude the possibility of cartelagreements between companies on the prices or duopoly reactions.