Rok 2014 (ročník 17)
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- Item20 let vývoje české ekonomiky - srovnání se Slovenskem(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Hájek, Ladislav; Režný, Lukáš; Ekonomická fakultaSince the establishment of two independent republics in 1993 Slovakia has developed compared to the Czech Republic significantly faster pace. During the last 20 years the gross domestic product (GDP) was increased only by 67.9% in the Czech Republic, while in the Slovak Republic for the same period by 128%, i.e. more than twice compared with the CR. Much faster economic growth of Slovakia can be only partly explained by the lower initial level of economic development. The rapid economic development in Slovakia was mainly based on different concepts and enforcement of fiscal policy, on lower overall tax burden and therefore on a lower level of redistribution (lower share of public expenditure in GDP) and more favourable conditions for business. The differences between the Czech and Slovak economies growth rates are the expression of various concepts, objectives and government economic policy efficiency. Slovak economic policy for the whole period 1993-2012 in terms of GDP per capita and in terms of convergence to the European Union (EU) seems to be more pragmatic and successful.
- ItemThe Analysis of the creative industry linked in connection with the economic development(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Kloudová, Jitka; Chwaszcz, Ondřej; Ekonomická fakultaThe paper analyses the development of the creative industries in the Czech Republic during the years 1990–2010. The specification of creative industries is undertaken on the basis of the concept of creative economy and is based on the basic classification of the economic activities (NACE). This classification is used by most of the European statistic offices. The study is analyses the development of creative industries in relation to the basic economic indicators (production, employment, net income and export). Each analyzed parameter proves a faster development than the overall average indicators. Production of the creative industries, which increased in the period 2005/2010 by 30% compared to 22% of the national average, is used as an example. Such results demonstrate the positive impact of creative industries to the economy. A similar effect has been demonstrated for other analyzed indicators. Employment in the creative industries has risen also very rapidly over the time. Moreover, the incomes in this industry are higher compared to the average. This leads to the stronger demand and in addition, it ensures higher payments to government budgets. Furthermore, the study analyses the impact of creative industries in every region of the Czech Republic. For this purpose, the Creative Industries Index (CII) was created. Its design is based on the share of creative industries in total production and at the same time it is based on the proportion of employees working in the creative industry in comparison to the total labor force. As a next step, the study uses correlation analysis to establish the link between CII and selected macroeconomic indicators (GDP, vacancies, and incomes). In each case, the positive and high level degree of correlation was found. As a result, this study confirms the significant contribution of creative industries that help to maintain and develop a regional competitiveness.
- ItemBarriers of marketing effectiveness and efficiency within companies: a qualitative study(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Karlíček, Miroslav; Chytková, Zuzana; Tyll, Ladislav; Mohelská, Hana; Ekonomická fakultaMarket orientation can be defined as the company’s ability to systematically generate relevant information about current and latent customer needs, spread this information across all company departments and use this information in decision making and subsequent behavior. Current research proves that market orientation correlates strongly with profitability. Strengthening market orientation should therefore be the main focus of the marketing department. However, over the last years, marketers within companies have faced serious criticism coming from the top management as well as from other business functions. This criticism stems from the generally shared opinion that marketing expenditures tend to rise whereas marketing effectiveness and efficiency seem to decline over time, as proved by relatively low satisfaction and loyalty levels of customers and their resistance towards marketing activities. This study investigates the main barriers of marketing effectiveness and efficiency within companies. Based on two focus groups with senior Czech marketing managers we revealed several key themes that reflect how local marketers perceive their jobs. We identified that marketing departments differ diametrically in activities they execute, that marketers face image problem within their companies and that they are not able to prove return of their activities sufficiently. Furthermore, we individuated barriers specific for our context not found in the literature. However, companies of different size and sectors have specifics which are discussed in the text. Managerial recommendations are added. All of these findings should be of high importance for both CEOs (resp. owners) and marketers, because increasing effectiveness and efficiency of the marketing function is their common goal.
- ItemBenefits and risks of self-financing of NGOs: empirical evidence from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Vaceková, Gabriela; Svidroňová, Mária; Ekonomická fakultaSelf-financing of non-government organizations is a highly discussed topic in the theory and practice of non-government organizations (NGOs). In the presented paper we respond to the current theoretical and practical questions associated with self-financing in the context of an effort to achieve financial independence and thus a long-term stability of NGOs. Our intention is to present and interpret the results of the analysis of primary research of funding the NGOs in the Slovak Republic and Austria and preliminary results of a pilot pre-research in the Czech Republic. Based on the historical development of these countries, especially the development of the non-profit sector within the conditions of every country and on the relevant empirical findings we assess and compare the current extent and potential of self-financing in the selected countries (including the extent of other sources of funding). We point out the benefits and risks connected to the examined issue and try to show that self-financing of NGOs must be understood in a broader context than just a "business" or a commercial activity and that it can be in compliance with the core work. Furthermore we explore the effect of self-financing on the principle of non-distribution-constraint of NGOs and we try to point out that self-financing can be in compliance also with this principle. By presenting these conclusions we fulfil the scientific goal of the paper, which is to identify particular benefits and risks of self-financing of NGOs based on relevant empirical findings from the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and Austria.
- ItemClassifications of environmental quality effects: The case of canadian cities(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Giannias, Dimitrios; Sfakianaki, Eleni; Ekonomická fakultaAmenities are goods and services that make certain locations attractive for living and working. Quality of life on the other hand can be perceived as an expression of well-being and its importance is demonstrated by a number of publications that have been developed and rank quality of life across cities and states based on their observable characteristics. Amenities’ assessments are employed in order to produce an index to rate quality of life. It is increasingly accepted that well-being cannot be entirely based on measures of income, wealth and consumption. Other indicators more qualitative (i.e. environment) should be considered. In the broader context, quality of life measures traditional economic goods such as food and accomodation but also more qualitative factors such as environmental and social (i.e. fresh air, low criminality). Environmental factors located in a given place can be considered as part of the wealth of the region in which they are located. A classification of the effects of environmental quality on consumers’ utility and producers’ costs that is based on housing prices and income differentials is useful because it provides information about the relative attractiveness to them of the total bundle of environmental and other attributes indigenous to each region. A theory is presented for this kind of analysis and classifications producing a qualitative evaluation of cities. The methodology used a number of Canadidan cities as a case study. An amenity-productivity classification was produced and cities were eventually classified as Low/High Amenity and Low/High Productivity providing useful information as to their relative attractiveness to firms and households.
- ItemThe competitive environment among companies in the Czech part of Euroregion Neisse-Nisa-Nysa(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Dědková, Jaroslava; Blažková, Klára; Ekonomická fakultaThe paper concentrates on the characteristics of the competitive environment in the Czech part of Euroregion Nisa and a constituent part of the outcome of a specific research project at the Faculty of Economics at the Technical University in Liberec. It can be assumed that a company that wants to succeed on the market must use its competitive advantage and develop its competitiveness. This is based on the ability to respond quickly and correctly to the requirements of customers and competing companies. Competitiveness means a company generating competitive advantages faster than its competitors. The authors look at the question of which competitive advantages exist among the companies in ERN, what is important to companies and what relationship there is between competitive advantages and the competitive strategies used. The introduction to the paper presents methodological approaches to the topics of competitive strategies and the competitive environment from the perspective of experts on the matter. The main aim of the paper is to identify and characterise the competitive environment of companies in the Czech part of Euroregion Nisa based on an evaluation of data from primary questioning. The authors of the paper deal with the issue of the main competitive strategies that companies now use and in what lies their competitive advantage. Results and discussion are found in an evaluation of primary research undertaken among 170 companies in the Czech part of Euroregion Nisa. A detailed investigation confirmed that competitive advantage and competitive strategies need to be understood as multi-dimensional and multi-factored. There are several “key” types of competitive advantage, their number and order of importance depending on many circumstances; for example a company's sphere of activity, the area of business activity, the size of the company, the requirements of owners and customers, the priorities of management and so on. Each industry uses its own competitive advantage differently and the decisive factor is succeeding with customers. It can be contended that successful companies need to produce differentiated products at low cost and need to be flexible.
- ItemCompetitiveness and convergence of czech regions: persistence of discrepancies(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Martinčík, David; Šlehoferová, Marta; Ekonomická fakultaThe article provides an extensive analysis of the development of regional competitiveness in the Czech Republic over time. At first the attention is paid to the meaning of “regional competitiveness” and to the evaluation of proposed methods to quantify it. After that the quantification of regional competitiveness is made according to the chosen method, which is based on a large number of indicators and then these indicators are summarized into three areas: Macroeconomic Performance, Growth Potential and Quality of Life. More than 4,200 figures represent eighteen indicators of fourteen regions during the time period of seventeen years and describe the level of regions from the viewpoint of various aspects. The ranking of individual regions in the three areas mentioned above is compiled on the basis of the selected measurement method of competitiveness. The level and dynamics of regions were in conformity with the expected results: Prague is the best region, followed by Jihomoravský and Jihočeský Regions and, on the contrary, the Ústecký and especially Moravskoslezský and Karlovarský Regions are the worst ones. Therefore, the convergence/divergence analysis was conducted to provide detailed knowledge of this phenomenon. The concept of β-convergence and σ-convergence was applied to our data and the sets of regions which converge or diverge over some period of time were searched for. Although some of these sets exist, it is not possible to say that the convergence or divergence is a strong process typical of the majority of regions. On the contrary, the discrepancies among regions in the Czech Republic are persistent.
- ItemComplex agent-based models: application of a constructivism in the economic research(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Bureš, Vladimír; Tučník, Petr; Ekonomická fakultaThe current state in research of economic systems is characterised by two prevailing issues. Firstly, study of economic systems is traditionally based on analytical and econometric tools, which have been the main arbiters of the veracity or plausibility of assumptions and hypotheses in economics. This approach has been proved to be highly suitable for theory development. Secondly, practical issues and necessity to support decision-making led to development of various modelling and simulation techniques or tools. However, majority of these approaches usually fail when coping with complexity. Furthermore, several main areas of interest can be identified in the business and economics modelling. Nevertheless, these areas are mostly independent due to their problem-based focusing on particular issues and their solutions. Depicted gaps might be bridged with the help of new modelling paradigms that have been established only recently. Application of agent-based modelling in the realm of economic systems is labelled as Agent-based Computational Economics (ACE). In particular sections of this paper results of experiments run on the novel model are described. The model is based on agents, which are described as a vector of several observed parameters, and four types of agents are used, namely consumer agent, factory agent, mining agent, and transportation agent. In addition, a colony is added as the fifth type of meta-agent. Scalability and configuration options of the model enable for various configuration and thus for conducting specific experiments. The presented system is already implemented as a prototype version in the NetLogo environment. The paper depicts two example scenarios, resource production and resource proximity, and offers interpretation of achieved results. Since most of the work done so far was focused on individual agents, group perspective as an important extension of ACE modelling is suggested as the further research and development direction.
- ItemConcept of the computer science course and some aspects of ICT integration into education(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Rosman, Pavel; Buřita, Ladislav; Ekonomická fakultaThe paper summarizes the experience of teaching Computer Science for Economists (CSE) course at the Faculty of Management and Economics (FaME) at Tomas Bata University (TBU) in Zlín. The paper presents approaches aimed at developing the effectiveness in increasing students’ knowledge and analyses just one aspect of the research – the importance of the CSE course for students. It describes methodology and technology support of using information and communication technology (ICT) in teaching full-time and part-time students. The experience of the introduction of new approaches and methods into teaching with the use of ICT is offered. There are mentioned some aspects, connect with the ICT as a knowledge society, knowledge management, learning organisation and education processes, eBusiness, ICT support of business and ICT in education. The first part of the paper describes the teaching of the CSE course at FaME/TBU. It states the objective, overview of subject areas and methodology of teaching as well as the use of information and communication technologies. The second part contains the results of the research on the CSE course, its importance for students, focusing mostly on enterprise computer science. The tutors try to improve the course constantly, develop the ICT use, and thus prepare students in accordance with the requirements of the social environment. The analysis of the research results makes possible to suggest options for further development of the course. Although the paper does not cover of all aspects of the CSE course at TBU in favour of enterprise computer science, it presents the basic framework schema of teaching and experience of tutors. The experience of teaching and assessing students’ knowledge are summarized. In the future the research will be extended to the guarantors of the subjects building on the results of the ICT teaching.
- ItemThe costs and reimbursements for lung cancer treatment among selected health care providers in the Czech Republic(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Šimrová, Jana; Barták, Miroslav; Vojtíšek, Radovan; Rogalewicz, Vladimír; Ekonomická fakultaThe objective of the article is to objectivise and assess the costs for the lung cancer therapy from the payer’s (health insurance company) and the healthcare provider’s (hospital) perspective based on information available from several large hospitals and specialised centres. No comprehensive assessment of costs related to the treatment of lung cancers at all stages has been published in the Czech Republic to-date. The results in this study are calculated based on diagnostic and therapeutic algorithms, i.e. process maps. These, in turn, are derived from the recommended therapeutic procedures issued by the Masaryk Institute of Oncology, the University Hospital in Hradec Králové and the University Hospital in Plzeň. In total, the costs and reimbursements were calculated for 32 utilized algorithms, i.e. process maps. The costs for therapeutic processes account for 22 results, while 10 results correspond to diagnostic processes. Both direct and indirect costs were included in individual calculations. The calculations imply that treatment costs significantly differ depending on the selected diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. It becomes apparent that the setting of the reimbursement system presently generates different stimuli for providers, who may reach both positive and negative balances. This fact, in turn, may have an effect on the economic result leading, in its consequence, to the preference of more suitable alternatives in terms of reimbursement regardless of the optimum procedures for the particular patient. This fact is, to a certain extent, reflected by the reimbursements calculated by means of the DRG system. The given algorithms may potentially be used by health care providers to reach working costs, which will allow accurate calculations for particular hospitals.
- ItemDeployment of cloud computing in small and medium sized enterprises in the Czech Republic(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Marešová, Petra; Hálek, Vítězslav; Ekonomická fakultaGlobalisation is a phenomenon that is reflected in all spheres of social life. Information technologies have a key role in globalisation. Thanks to them is possible to divide labour on a global scale, monitoring and use of comparative advantages (for the raw materials, cheap labour sources, effective demand) in their – that offer advantageous conditions. The technologies, which are predicting significant future growth in cloud computing. Cloud computing is a set of information and communication technologies in which IT resources are delivered in the form of services to external users via the Internet. The aim of this paper is to describe the use of cloud computing in Czech companies and compare its deployment to other countries. Characteristics of the use of cloud computing in Czech enterprises are based on surveys conducted by local and international agencies and on their own research. Their own research was conducted in the autumn of 2013. There were 200 respondents from small and medium-sized enterprises across all sectors of CZ – NACE. Enterprises were asked about their knowledge of the chosen technologies, the rate of utilisation, the expected benefits of these technologies, or if they are interested in its deployment in the future. As revealed from the results of this survey, many managers and business owners do not know the term cloud computing and do not know which specific services and benefits can be expected. Managers also do not feel the necessity to change the state of the IT department, so currently there IS only a small proportion of companies that plan to implement cloud computing. Implementation of cloud computing is supported ON a national and international level, savings and benefits from the deployment of this technology are also evident. In this context, lack of knowledge of this concept and low deployment of cloud computing in Czech enterprises is a negative phenomenon.
- ItemDestination attractiveness of Slovakia: perspectives of demand from major tourism source markets(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Pompurová, Kristína; Šimočková, Ivana; Ekonomická fakultaThe destination attractiveness is an expression of territory attractiveness in relation to the decision-making process of its visitors. It plays a key role in determination of destination’s competitive advantage; subsequently it influences the economic effects resulting from goods and services consumption in its territory. In scientific literature a significant attention has been paid to this concept for several decades. The aim of this paper was to examine destination attractiveness of Slovakia in terms of the most important tourism source markets demand – Visegrad countries’ inhabitants, representing 80% share of the overall visitation of Slovakia. The attractiveness analysis results in terms of satisfied demand suggest that Slovakia is attractive to 4% of the V4 countries’ population who visit it on average once a year, that is, to 14% of the V4 countries’ population, who undertake one over-night stay per year on average. Slovakia is extremely attractive to the Czechs thanks to its proximity, common political history and non-existing language barrier; however, it remains unattractive to other V4 countries inhabitants. In terms of potential demand, Slovakia meets the ideal destination expectations of 70–71% of V4 countries population, which means it is strongly attractive to them. The Poles find it the most attractive while Hungarian and Czech residents find it less attractive. Slovakia’s own inhabitants appreciate this tourism destination the least. They particularly criticize lack of quality services, negative attitude toward customers and high prices which do not correspond with the quality of services. Slovak respondents find the natural beauties of their own country most attractive. Such an evaluation is common for the Czech and Hungarian respondents too. According to the Polish respondents, the most attractive in Slovakia is the positive attitude of local population. They evaluate sports and recreational facilities and activities extremely positively. The inhabitants of Slovakia, Hungary and Poland find Slovakia much more attractive from the point of view of perceived destination attractiveness than in terms of satisfied demand attractiveness. Thus, there is a large gap for visitation increase, but also for perception improvement of Slovakia as a tourism destination. In the case of the Czech market, the attractiveness of Slovakia in terms of satisfied demand is very strong, and it is necessary to maintain this positive fact. In this connection the innovations and their promotion on relevant markets may be decisive. And thus the position of tourism as a tool for economic, social and cultural development of the country can be enhanced.
- ItemDeterminants of public expenditures for medicinal products in non hospital consumption in Slovenia(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Kajdiž, Romana; Bojnec, Štefan; Ekonomická fakultaThe Slovenian government aims to regulate prices for medicinal products to manage and reduce public expenditures for medicinal products. This paper aims to investigate the association between the regulated wholesale prices of medicinal products and the public expenditures for medicinal products, and to estimate regression model for public expenditures for medicinal products in the non hospital consumption. In the empirical research are included 758 regulated prices for medicinal products prescribed by the outpatients’ department on a prescription (Rp) during the years 2003–2010, which are financed from public expenditures. The correlation and regression analyses are used in order to establish the association between the regulated wholesale prices for medicinal products and the public expenditures for medicinal products. The correlation analysis confirmed a strong positive correlation of the public expenditures for medicinal products with the number of Rp or the number of boxes on the Rp prescription, a weak correlation with the wholesale prices for medicinal products and with the classification lists of medicinal products. The multiple regression analysis confirmed a positive significant impact of the wholesale price of medicinal products and the number of Rp or the number of boxes on the Rp prescription, on the public expenditures for medicinal products. The research has confirmed the association of the public expenditures for medicinal products with the regulated wholesale prices for medicinal products. It has underlined the importance of the rational prescription and use of medicinal products. The explanatory variables included in the regression model for the public expenditures for medicinal products explained up to 94% of variability in the public expenditures for medicinal products.
- ItemDiversity management - perceptions and attitudes by Czech managers(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Eger, Ludvík; Indruchová, Zuzana; Ekonomická fakultaDiversity management has become very important and relevant in the field of the human resource development namely after the Czech Republic joined the European Union. Diversity management is based on the strategy of an organization and it is also connected with corporate culture and corporate social responsibility. The research focused on looking for the differences in the perception of diversity management of the monitored group of respondents from the point of view of their achieved level of education, the position in the organization, the organization size and the length of their work experience. The respondents were young workers in managerial positions or in the positions of a HR specialist with at least part time work responsibilities in the field of human resources management. The implemented t-tests did not prove any statistical significance in any of the monitored differences and it can be stated that with the monitored group there is no difference in the perception of diversity from the point of view of the level of their education, their positions in the organization, the organization size and the length of their work experience. The complementary research by means of the Pearson´s Correlation proved a positive relationship between the individual sections of the questionnaire and the overall perception of the significance of diversity management by the respondents and even a high level of correlation of the overall index with the section Policies and procedures. On the contrary, only weak values of correlation were achieved within the additional section focused at the respondents´ own behaviour in their workplace in relation to the overall index of the perception of diversity management.
- ItemDoes economic interventionism help strategic industries? Evidence from Europe(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Maček, Anita; Ovin, Rasto; Ekonomická fakultaAlthough most studies proves that Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions (C-B M&A) cause more benefits than threats, the real economic policy in the EU countries offsets the fear that liberalization of inward C-B M&A would endanger economic position of strategic industries and thus national economic goals. After the adoption of EU Directive 2004/25/EC on Takeover Bids the era of fast growth of inward C-B M&A in the EU and consequently the era of rising interventionism so as to protect national strategic industries and companies has started. Additional stimulus for the European Union’s (EU) most developed economies to exercise interventionism was financial and economic crisis starting in 2008. Considering high ranking of employment goals and state-supported social cohesion in continental Europe, it is not surprise that interventionist reactions came from ruling parties and coalitions regardless their political orientation. By the help of the results of their 2009 empirical study on C-B M&A authors tested the relation between the results referring to C-B M&A effects on strategic sectors and the Heritage Foundation Index of Investment Freedom. With combining the results from 2009 study with Index of Investment Freedom from 2009 and in the second equation with index from 2014 authors checked if strategic sectors benefit from incoming C-B M&A when subject to the previous market oriented industrial policy. Both estimated equations proves that unlike with sheltering economic policy, when subject to market conform measures of industrial policy, strategic sectors will benefit from inward C-B M&A. By proving the statistical significant relationship between the results from 2009 study and Index from 2014 authors also proved the statistical and analytical quality of the equation from 2009. By proving statistical significance of the second equation we proved that the judgement of the academic community could be considered relevant also after five years following the real experience as basis of their judgement.
- ItemAn econometric approach to factors affecting crop insurance in Romania(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Dragos, Simona Laura; Mare, Codruta; Ekonomická fakultaCrop insurance is a very well implemented mechanism in the economic and agricultural sectors of the developed countries. In the developing countries there are yet in practice traditional local systems of helping the other in the case of natural disasters. The transition to an organized system, based on buying insurance policies, is a very slow process and is, for the moment, used and accepted only by big land owners. The study based on a sample of 308 small farmers in Romania analyzes the factors influencing the decision of buying an insurance policy: age, education, size of the village, the proximity to a city, the type of culture, etc. The sampling method aimed at ensuring representativity on several levels: regional – villages from different counties; education – different levels of education for farmers and different fields of study; type of village – villages of different sizes and situated at various distances from towns; type of crop – farmers that mainly deal with vegetables, pomiculture, vine and field crops. Through two econometric models, Ordered Logit and Binary Logit, both the decision of buying an insurance policy and the type of insurance chosen (partial or full) are assessed. Results show a higher propensity towards using the insurance system in the case of younger farmers who have had access to tertiary education (especially in the field of economics and business), who live in big villages near important cities and who cultivate vegetables. Even though the study is regional, the emphasized mechanisms are universally valid and can be used by policymakers from developing economies.
- ItemThe economic crisis and company management: influences and consequences(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Antonová, Barbora; Zapletalová, Šárka; Ekonomická fakultaThe tourism industry has been considerably affected by the global economic crisis over the most recent years, with its roots identified in the US mortgage market segment. This crisis has caused fluctuations in the markets across all industries, triggering uncertainty in nearly every businessperson in the Czech Republic. By their nature, tourist services are non-essential products, used by customers to satisfy their needs only. Thus, in those times of uncertainty, customers tend to cut down on these services to a certain minimum level. This fact manifested itself during the crisis in 2007–2012. The article presents the impact of the global crisis on the tourism industry, in particular, on accommodation providers in the Olomouc region. The aim of the article was to explore the impact of this crisis on management of group accommodation facilities. The introductory chapter discusses the theoretical aspect of the economic crisis and its relations with company management, as well as the impact of the crisis on provision of accommodation services in the reference period across the nation. Following this, hypotheses are established, to be subsequently assessed by means of the primary research run as the questionnaire poll in the Olomouc region. The article focuses essentially on a change of managers in accommodation facilities, other measures taken by managers during the crisis, and the consequences of these measures.
- ItemThe economics of being stupid: a note on (ir)rationality in economics(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Šťastný, Dan; Ekonomická fakultaEconomists’ habit of imputing rational motives to all human behavior gives rise to ‘rational riddles’: rational explanations for seemingly irrational behavior. In the article I argue that economists’ solutions to these riddles are, despite their sophistication, of limited scientific value as they describe mechanisms that are never both new and correct: they may be empirically correct but not new as these mechanisms have been practiced (hence known) by some people before; or they are genuinely new (previously unknown to anybody), but empirically wrong as they fail to account for the real reasons of observed behavior. I further show that the hypothesized solutions to the riddles could be easily tested by consulting the people whose behavior is examined, and point to the strange lack of economistsefforts to do so. Finally I present results of a micro survey relating to one such rational riddle: ticket underpricing (why prices of tickets for various events do not adjust to eliminate the excess demand). By interviewing managers of theatres known to sell tickets at prices that create lines, I present some evidence showing that it is much easier to explain the observed behavior in terms of plain ignorance of some elementary economic principles or facts rather than in terms of some economic sophistication on the part of the managers. No interviewees, for example, explicitly related the existence of lines to ticket underpricing, and some actually denied any link there even if prompted. I conclude by pointing to the real cost to the economic profession stemming from its decision to ignore the possibility of irrationality in economistsresearch program.
- ItemEffectiveness of using e-learning for business disciplines: the case of introductory management course(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Mohelská, Hana; Sokolová, Marcela; Ekonomická fakultaEducation and development of employees in the traditional sense focus on the formation of working abilities of a person and that part of their personality, through which they create values in order to improve the work performance of individuals, to fulfil their individual goals within their working career and improve the performance of an organization as a whole. The purpose of education is to promote competitiveness and a greater flexibility of workers in a rapidly changing environment. Organizations must therefore use all available methods of education appropriately combined, and to set the whole process of education to be not only effective, but also financially acceptable. The economic crisis is taking longer than expected and companies can no longer afford staff training as before. One possibility is the introduction of e-learning in corporate training. The paper describes the various forms of education and based on the results of custom research (experiment) it compares the effectiveness of e-learning and traditional learning. Based on the conducted experiment, we can state that training in basic managerial skills with the help of e-learning is same efficient as traditional education methods. On the basis of the facts it certainly cannot be clearly stated that each organization (educational institution, business) shall introduce e-learning into the education system of their employees. It is necessary to access each organization individually. There are mentioned criteria and tools that can help you decide. There are also other possible research directions discussed.
- ItemThe effects of co-brand marketing mix strategies on customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty for medium and small traders and manufacturers(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Kim, Ki-Pyeong; Kim, Yoo-Oh; Lee, Min-Kweon; Youn, Myoung-Kil; Ekonomická fakultaDue to Korea’s recent economic depression, polarised consumption, and intensifying competition, its medium and small traders and manufacturers find it increasingly difficult to compete for sales in the domestic and foreign markets. The reality is that their survival is being threatened by the weakness of their brand power compared to that of large businesses and global enterprises. As the brand has become a key method for identifying products and guaranteeing quality owing to the spread of the Internet, the position of medium and small traders and manufacturers with relatively weak brand power has become tenuous. Accordingly, securing the brand marketing function is becoming a crucial factor for those medium and small traders and manufacturers who wish to leap into the middle ranks through sales increases and business stabilization achieved by market extension. Therefore, this study presents a model that clarifies the effect of the Co-Brand Marketing Mix Strategy when used by medium and small traders and manufacturers on customer satisfaction and loyalty and offers hypotheses to clarify the relationship among variables by examining previous studies on co-brand, the Marketing Mix Strategy, customer satisfaction, trust, and loyalty. The fact that customer satisfaction increases loyalty, thus triggering repurchase intentions and recommendation intentions, will also be verified. This paper is, therefore, clearly different from existing studies targeting large, medium, and small businesses since it focuses on medium and small traders and manufacturers. The significance of this study is in its assertion that the co-brand strategy can become a method for medium and small traders and manufacturers to secure their competitiveness.
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