Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Avinash G. Mulky Author-Workplace-Name: B-205, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560076, India Title: Marketing to the Bottom of the Pyramid and subsistence markets - A research agenda Abstract: The concepts of Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) and subsistence markets have attracted substantial academic and managerial attention in recent years. The BOP thesis states that there are opportunities for multinational companies to achieve significant revenues and profitability by designing and implementing marketing programs aimed at people who occupy the lowest tier in the world's economic pyramid. The number of people in this segment has been estimated to be between 2.7 billion and 4 billion. This paper reviews the academic literature on BOP and subsistence markets and identifies important issues related to marketing to these consumers. The review is based on journal articles that have appeared in peer-reviewed journals and on case studies published by reputed academic institutions. The literature review first identifies a number of business issues like size of BOP market, motivations for undertaking BOP initiatives, ethics and linkages. Then specific marketing issues related to the BOP segment such as consumer analysis, company analysis, collaborators, competition and context, segmentation and positioning and issues relating to marketing program design and implementation are analyzed. Based on this analysis, the paper develops a research agenda for future research on BOP and subsistence markets. Keywords: marketing, bottom of the pyramid, subsistence markets, poor consumers, literature review, marketing research agenda Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 9-14 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020009 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020009.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020009.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020009 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eva Abramuszkinová Pavlíková Author-Workplace-Name: Výzkumné centrum, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: International migration and new mobility trends Abstract: World migration community covers 3% of the world population, in Europe it is around 7% and 4% in the Czech Republic. Europe is an important target for migration stimulated by the work offer but also by wars and natural disasters. In Western Europe at the end of the 20th century there were 20 millions of foreign migrants and also probably 3-5 million illegal migrants.Recently, we have faced new trends in international mobility which are different from traditional migration flows. They include mobility of multinational firms employees, mobility of students, pensioners but also mobility of professionals. Specific group under study is foreign migration or mobility of scientists and researchers. There is another phenomena connected with the development of modern technologies which stimulates the mobility in virtual space. Virtual mobility is another form of mobility which is using virtual space for communication, study, work and other aspects of life.The aim of this paper is to introduce the main trends in international migration including the traditional ones but stressing the new types of international mobility. The focus will be on the current situation in the Czech Republic related to migration. Keywords: migration, international mobility, foreigners, high skilled professionals, brain drain, virtual mobility Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 15-20 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020015 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020015.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020015.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020015 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: František Bartes Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomiky, Vysoké učení technické v Brně, Kolejní 2906/4, 612 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Comparing the potential use of oriental war philosophy and western combat strategies in the competition of companies Abstract: Sun Tzu's essays The Art of War are the oldest known treatise on this topic but they have never been surpassed in terms of content and depth of understanding. They are characterised by concentrated wisdom on warfare. Compared to Carl von Clausewitz, Sun Tzu has a clearer vision, deeper understanding of preparation and combat itself and this makes him modern for eternity. Clausewitz wrote more than two thousand years later but he is more indebted to this period than Sun Tzu and this makes him rather obsolete nowadays even though some of his ideas are applicable, even though they can be applied only within the limitations of the moral and ethic values applied in a particular territory.If using the approach stemming from Sun Tzu's oriental war philosophy it is necessary to understand these ideas and to implement them correctly. In this respect we find it very important to point out to the incorrect trend that can be identified in the studies of western literature dealing with this war philosophy. Keywords: competition strategy, competitive advantage, competition, war philosophy Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 21-24 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020021 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020021.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020021.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020021 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michaela Beranová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Marcela Basovníková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Dana Martinovičová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Association between values of the Index IN 99 and the EVA indicator Abstract: The modern indicators of the performance of business entity are based on an economic conception of profit. It means that alternative costs and risks are taken into account in construction of these indicators. Moreover, the modern indicators would also enable to clearly and digestedly identify the links on each level of management, and therefore to support the value-based management. The one of these modern indicators is Economic Value Added. This indicator has been introduced by Stewart Stern & Co. in the early nineties. As some Czech authors state (e.g. Synek, 2007), domestic alternative of the EVA indicator are the IN indexes which has been developing since the middle of the nineties as overall indexes of company's financial health especially because the indexes coming from abroad had not a good differentiation ability with regard to specifics of the Czech economic environment.The objective of this article is to define the relations between the values of EVA indicator and the values of the index IN 99 while the analysis is focused on agricultural companies of mixed farming. The authors base their work on differences in constructions of these two indicators and on differences in interpretations of their results. Primarily, basic correlation of values of these indicators has been observed. The calculation of Pearson correlation coefficient has been applied on the set of fifty business entities, and the calculated result of 0.669 shows relatively stronger linear dependence. Consequent test has verified a statistical significance of this dependence. Then in this article, the authors are focused on causations of this dependence which is rather strong in spite of a different logic of these two indicators. Other consequences of overall view on company's economic performance are discussed in the article as well. Keywords: economic value added, financial position and performance, index IN, modern measures of company's performance Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 25-34 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020025 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020025.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020025.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020025 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Svitlana L. Blagodietielieva-Vovk Author-Workplace-Name: Department of economics and management, Cherkasy State Technological University, T. Shevchenko bul., 460, Cherkasy, Ukraine 18006 Title: The conception "an enterprise as a microcivilization" Abstract: The world crisis actualized the problem of brittleness of the society and the vulnerability of a human being. The Government intervention through the strengthening of the regulation of the enterprises and the markets are considered by many experts as a method of indirect solution of the above mentioned problem. However, the effective management must be based on the knowledge of features and unique characteristics of each economic entity. Universal in its essence the system of government does not fit to it. Therefore, we speak about the creation of the direct control concept of the environment of the human life - "an Enterprise as a Microcivilization". Its core is the Culturological paradigma and the Civilizational approach. The structure of the concept includes such models: the Contextual model of civilizational entities, the Complex model of a human, the Growth and the development model of microcivilization, the Model of civilizational entity "human - community - society", and the applied Method of identifying microcivilization, the Assessment of values and the civilized Profile of microcivilization's citizen. The conception of "an Enterprise as a Microcivilization" was tested on a group of the Ukrainian food industry enterprises. From the set of 162 enterprises was allocated 9 pretenders for the status of microcivilization. Three of them - identified as a microcivilization. In one of them have been started the formation of the Institute of Cultural Leadership. Keywords: civilizational approach, enterprise-microcivilization Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 35-42 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020035 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020035.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020035.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020035 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hana Bohušová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav účetnictví a daní, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: The implementation of the IFRS for SME in the EU Abstract: Small and medium sized companies have very important position in the EU economy, mainly in the area of employment. Their activities on the internal market are limited by a great deal of obstacles. The most important obstacles can be considered different national financial reporting and tax systems.IASB published an International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) designed for use by small and medium-sized entities (SMEs).The IFRS for SME is expressly designed to meet the financial reporting needs of entities that (a) do not have public accountability and (b) publish general purpose financial statements for external users. This standard could be a suitable instrument for the SME accounting harmonization.The aim of the paper is to analyze the problems connected with the harmonization of accounting legislation used by SMEs in EU countries especially in the Czech Republic.In the frame of methodology the empirical research was used. The author has distributed questionnaires to the enterprises in the Czech Republic, selected according to their size and the field of activity. Comment letters of 210 respondents from 26 EU Member States were used for evaluation possibilities of the IFRS for implementation to national legislation.Based on the results of empirical research some problems could arise with the IFRS for SME application. Based on the questionnaires, respondents are highly interested in the costs and gains of IFRS for SME application. The gains should exceed the costs of IFRS for SME application. Keywords: SME, harmonization, IFRS for SMEs, EU consultation Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 43-50 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020043 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020043.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020043.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020043 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: František Dařena Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Decision support for customers in electronic environments Abstract: Due to the rapid spread of computer technologies into day-to-day lives many purchases or purchase-related decisions are made in the electronic environment of the Web. In order to handle information overload that is the result of the availability of many web-based stores, products and services, consumers use decision support aids that help with need recognition, information retrieval, filtering, comparisons and choice making. Decision support systems (DSS) discipline spreads about 40 years back and was mostly focused on assisting managers. However, online environments and decision support in such environments bring new opportunities also to the customers. The focus on decision support for consumers is also not investigated to the large extent and not documented in the literature. Providing customers with well designed decision aids can lead to lower cognitive decision effort associated with the purchase decision which results in significant increase of consumer's confidence, satisfaction, and cost savings. During decision making process the subjects can chose from several methods (optimizing, reasoning, analogizing, and creating), DSS types (data-, model-, communication-, document-driven, and knowledge-based) and benefit from different modern technologies. The paper investigates popular customer decision making aids, such as search, filtering, comparison, e-negotiations and auctions, recommendation systems, social network systems, product design applications, communication support etc. which are frequently related to e-commerce applications. Results include the overview of such decision supporting tools, specific examples, classification according the way how the decisions are supported, and possibilities of applications of progressive technologies. The paper thus contributes to the process of development of the interface between companies and the customers where customer decisions take place. Keywords: decision support, decision making, e-commerce, customer behavior Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 51-58 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020051 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020051.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020051.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020051 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ludmila Dömeová Author-Workplace-Name: Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Česká republika Author-Name: Andrea Jindrová Author-Workplace-Name: Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Česká republika Title: Rural tourism and its contribution to the development of countryside Abstract: The Czech Republic does not have any central registry of rural tourism facilities; there is no information about the availability and quality of services or about their economic results. The goal of this contribution is to describe the current state of rural tourism in the Czech Republic, and to find the bottlenecks, problems and potential risks.The lack of information about this sector was the motivation for a survey which produced a great deal of information about the situation in the rural tourism business in the Czech Republic. We apply one-dimensional and multiple-dimensional statistical analyses to data from the completed questionnaires. The multiple-dimensional analysis is based on dependency tests and calculations of the intensity of the dependency between variables in contingency tables.The description and findings arise from the quantification and analysis of the information from the questionnaire survey. We find that most firms in the sector are small (so called micro firms) and usually have no links to the agricultural production. The income from tourism frequently represents only a supplementary part of the businesses' whole revenues and the profitability is to a certain extent dependent on the services offered and how they are promoted. In general, the subjects providing special offers such as horse riding, local foods, firm tourism, etc., are more successful. Keywords: rural tourism, survey, statistical analysis, countryside Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 59-64 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020059 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020059.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020059.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0008.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020059 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Duda Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Employee benefits or wage increase? Abstract: The paper comes from a survey done during the years 2007-2009. It focused on employee satisfaction with the provision of employee benefits. The research included 21 companies, 7 companies were from the engineering sector, 7 companies from the food industry, 3 companies represented the budgetary sphere, 3 companies the services sector and one company operates in pharmaceutical industry.The questionnaire survey consisted of 14 questions, including 5 identification-questions. The paper presents results of the questions on dealing with employees' awareness of employee benefits and on choosing between employees' preferences of wage increase or increase in value of benefits provided.Employees are informed about all options of providing employee benefits. Only in 3 cases employees stated dissatisfaction with information. This answer was related with the responses to the second monitored question. Employees of these companies preferred pay increases before benefits' increases. There was no effect of gender of the respondents, neither the influence of the sector of operation, in the preference of increases in wages or in benefits. Exceptions were the employees of companies operating in the financial sector, who preferred employee benefits before a wage increase. It was found that employees of companies who participated in research in 2009, preferred wage increases before the extension of employee benefits, although the value of the net wage increase is lower than the monetary value of benefits increase. Keywords: employee benefit, questionnaire survey, wage increase Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 65-68 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020065 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020065.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020065.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0009.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020065 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Daniela Dvořáková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav práva a humanitních věd, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Skilled and controlled immigration - a solution to keep sustainable economic growth in Europe? Abstract: Europe's population decline compared with the demographic explosion in Africa and Asia is a potential threat to sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness in Europe. Europe is currently facing two major problems-lack of population growth and migration pressures. The solution could provide a targeted management of migrations flows. Prerequisite for sustainability of the system is not only a skilled migration, but some form of integration and acceptance of Western values as well. In connection with the deepening of integration of the common EU immigration policy, Czech immigration strategies have to be complementary with the EU strategies. Czech Republic had to already undertaken many reforms of Aliens Act and also tries to launch its own strategies favourising the skilled immigration, to reinforce the main trends in the European immigration policy. Keywords: Common Immigration Policy, immigration, integration, EU 2020, Czech Immigration Policy, Aliens Act Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 69-74 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020069 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020069.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020069.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0010.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020069 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Fejfar Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jiří Šťastný Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Time series clustering in large data sets Abstract: The clustering of time series is a widely researched area. There are many methods for dealing with this task. We are actually using the Self-organizing map (SOM) with the unsupervised learning algorithm for clustering of time series.After the first experiment (Fejfar, Weinlichová, Šťastný, 2009) it seems that the whole concept of the clustering algorithm is correct but that we have to perform time series clustering on much larger dataset to obtain more accurate results and to find the correlation between configured parameters and results more precisely. The second requirement arose in a need for a well-defined evaluation of results. It seems useful to use sound recordings as instances of time series again. There are many recordings to use in digital libraries, many interesting features and patterns can be found in this area. We are searching for recordings with the similar development of information density in this experiment. It can be used for musical form investigation, cover songs detection and many others applications.The objective of the presented paper is to compare clustering results made with different parameters of feature vectors and the SOM itself. We are describing time series in a simplistic way evaluating standard deviations for separated parts of recordings. The resulting feature vectors are clustered with the SOM in batch training mode with different topologies varying from few neurons to large maps.There are other algorithms discussed, usable for finding similarities between time series and finally conclusions for further research are presented. We also present an overview of the related actual literature and projects. Keywords: time series, self-organizing map, clustering Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 75-80 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020075 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020075.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020075.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0011.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020075 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ladislava Grochová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Luděk Kouba Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Political instability and economic growth: an empirical evidence from the Baltic states Abstract: For more than last 20 decades, new political economics has been dealing with theories of economic growth (for example influential contributions by Mancur Olson, Dani Rodrik). However, less attention has been paid to their empirical verification. The new political economics growth theory defines some factors that are necessary for economic growth among which political stability. Our aim is to test the theory focused on political stability empirically in order to enrich the studies with recent European results. The paper uses a single-equation model to reject a hypothesis that political stability is a necessary condition for economic growth finding a relationship between economic growth and political instability. A demonstration that political stability is not a crucial factor for economic development in general then represents the main goal of the contribution. There are distinguished two types of political instability - elite and non-elite - in topical literature. While non-elite political instability concerns about violent coups, riots or civil wars, elite political instability is represented with "soft changes" such as government breakdowns, fragile majority or minority governments. A number of government changes is used as a proxy of elite political instability. The disproof of the hypothesis is demonstrated on data from the Baltic states where number of government changes takes place and still fast economic growth could be seen within last two decades. Since it is shown that political instability has almost no impact on economic growth, we consider the hypothesis regarding a necessity of political stability for economic development to be only a specific non-generalizable case. Keywords: new political economics, political instability, elite political instability, production function, single equation, Baltic states Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 81-88 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020081 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020081.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020081.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0012.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020081 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helena Hejmalová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Radka Šperková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Assessment of attractiveness of the wine-production industry in the Czech Republic Abstract: The paper is focused on evaluation of attractiveness of the wine sector in the Czech Republic and on the competitive position assessment of company Věstonické sklepy, s. r. o. using the assessment of key factors and applying the GE matrix. Wine-production can be described as very attractive, favorably developing industry with significant potential for growth and expansion. In particular, the growing popularity of wine consumption, increasing consumption and production, increasing competitiveness, introduction of new technical innovations and introduction of innovative changes in production, storage and sales, are aspects that have a positive impact on the attractiveness of the sector.The permanent trend of development and market growth represent a well-verifiable criterion that implies there still is a significant share of the untapped potential. Assessment of the competitive position indicates relatively good strategic situation of the company in the attractive environment, but it is necessary to invest considerable financial resources with an uncertain impact on maintaining the position. Main problems of the company namely include the financial situation which is specifically addressed by utilizing short-term liabilities. The company can be described as prosperous in terms of established technologies and implementation of innovative changes, human resource management, use of production and storage capacities, marketing factors, selection of the appropriate type of promotion, and contracting reliable customers.The strategy based on the position in the GE matrix suggests that the company should focus on production of quality wines and on the offer of specialties to penetrate stronger into the market and with a better competitive advantage. The company should not forget the completion of the proper functioning of the website, which should lead to an increase of the number of potential customers. Keywords: wine-production industry, attractiveness, competitive position, GE Matrix, strategy Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 89-98 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020089 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020089.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020089.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0013.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020089 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Hřebíček Author-Workplace-Name: Institut biostatistiky a analýz, Masarykova univerzita, Kamenice 126/3, 625 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jana Soukopová Author-Workplace-Name: Ekonomicko-správní fakulta Masarykovy univerzity, Lipová 41a, 602 00 Brno-Pisárky, Česká republika Author-Name: Michael Štencl Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Oldřich Trenz Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Corporate key performance indicators for environmental management and reporting Abstract: The paper presents main results of the research financed the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic in the project No. SP/4i2/26/07. It discuses the corporate key performance indicators for Environmental Management Systems certified by standard ISO 14001:2005 or/and by the Regulation (EC) No. 1221/2009, about voluntary participation of organizations in the Community Environmental Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). These are used in an annual corporate environmental reporting of organizations with Environmental Management System and also in the annual statements of organizations with Environmental Management and Audit Scheme. It introduces key performance indicators and framework of corporate environmental reporting are based on the Methodical Guideline of the Ministry of Environment of the Czech Republic developed in the project No. SP/4i2/26/07. They are enlarged to economic and social area with using Global Reporting Initiative and RICON Group guidelines. The paper also introduces the proposal of further research in the development of corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance indicators. Keywords: environmental management, environmental management and audit scheme, environmental performance, key performance indicators, ESG indicators, environmental reporting Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 99-108 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020099 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020099.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020099.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0014.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020099 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Huml Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Česká republika Author-Name: Lucie Vokáčová Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Česká republika Author-Name: Štěpán Kala Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6-Suchdol, Česká republika Title: Implementation of diversification strategy on farms in the Czech Republic Abstract: Nowadays, it is not easy to achieve prosperity and flourishing progress of an agriculture company. The owners and managers engaged in agricultural sector are thus forced to face increased challenge as for the search of new and more stable sources of income. Employing the strategy of diversification represents one of the possible ways aiming to improve the current situation. Moreover, this strategy also provides important tool for enhancing the quality of rural infrastructure and creation of job opportunities in non-traditional sectors and thus makes for the decrease in jobs in the agricultural sector. The study of secondary sources and in-depth interviews with successful diversification project managers allowed the analysis of prospective usage of the diversification strategy in agricultural companies. Keywords: diversification strategy, agriculture, risk Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 109-114 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020109 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020109.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020109.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0015.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020109 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helena Chládková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: The business environment in the Czech Republic Abstract: The paper deals with a comparison of the business environment in 2004 and 2010. The aim of this paper is to compare opinions of managers of small and medium - sized enterprises on opportunities and threats of external environment and on strengths and weaknesses of internal environment after the integration of the Czech Republic into the European Union, in 2004 and now in 2010.The basic sources of information were 70 SWOT analyses of small and medium - sized enterprises which have been made in 2004 by students of combined form of study, who work in management functions on medium or basic managerial levels and 228 SWOT analyses of small and medium - sized enterprises which have been made in 2010.77 % of managers from analyzed enterprises identified the integration of the Czech Republic into the EU as an opportunity in 2004 and only 33 % of managers from analyzed enterprises in 2010. The competition as the most important threat was reported in both groups of respondents. Namely 64 % of managers in 2004 and even 82 % of managers in 2010. Keywords: small and medium - sized enterprises, external and internal environment, opportunities and threats, strengths and weaknesses Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 115-120 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020115 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020115.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020115.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0016.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020115 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Janků Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav práva a humanitních věd, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Liability of statutory organs in limited liability companies Abstract: Statutory organs of business companies (and similarly of co-operatives) have numerous obligations imposed by generally binding provisions; relied with these is the liability for non-fulfilment of the latter. Some of the obligations are imposed directly by the laws, some are assumed on contractual basis. Their infringements may lead to the liability for the situation and consequences occurred. The regulation of the liability of persons engaged in the company's bodies covers persons that are entrusted by the management of foreign assets. Sometimes these are in fact not entirely foreign assets because, although the assets are legally owned by the business company, persons acting as statutory organs are mostly partners (shareholders) in these companies as well. As such they manage the foreign assets but the company properties were created by their contributions or through the business by themselves.The paper analyses the requirements laid down for the function of managing directors (jednatel) in the limited company. Consequently it analyses the scope of the liability of managing directors firstly, in relationship to the company's creditors (persons standing outside the company) and, subsequently, in relationship to the shareholders. It also presents and characterises the recent trends in the Commercial Court's judgement of the conditions required for the liability for damage and claims for damages put forward by action to recover damages by the managing directors. De lege ferenda the paper recommends that the legal regulation will be amended by provisions limiting the scope of persons to be appointed as executive director and/or extending the liability for damages for the partners of the company in cases where the damage in such cases can not be compensated by the executive director and the partners should bear consequences for their culpa in eligendo. Keywords: limited liability, managing director, liability towards creditors, liability towards shareholders Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 121-128 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020121 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020121.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020121.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0017.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020121 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jitka Janová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav statistiky a operačního výzkumu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: The dynamic programming approach to long term production planning in agriculture Abstract: The production planning in agriculture is one of the most important decision problems of the farmer. Although some decision support tools based mainly on linear programming and addressed to agriculture authorities were presented, their direct application by a farmer is not possible. This is mainly due to the local character of the models developed for particular agricultural conditions and also due to the complexness of underlying mathematical programming models.This paper aims to develop dynamic programming model for the long run crop plan optimization covering the typical conditions of Czech farms, which could serve as a platform for further enlargements and changes according to needs and conditions of particular farm. The dynamic programming algorithm is developed in detail for model case of four areas to be planted by four crops each year. The possibility of covering different constraints by generating the state space is discussed, and the generating procedure for crop rotation rules is shown. The goal function reflects the farmers objective of profit maximization and it is defined with respect to harvests' randomness. The case study is solved for the data from South Moravian agriculture cooperative and the optimal solution is presented and discussed. Keywords: production planning, MATLAB algorithm, crop rotation, dynamic programming Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 129-136 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020129 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020129.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020129.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0018.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020129 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Štěpán Kala Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Česká republika Author-Name: Lucie Vokáčová Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Česká republika Author-Name: Jan Huml Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha, Česká republika Title: Gap analysis of the quality of sales service Abstract: The article aims to measure the size of customer gaps as for their perception of sales service standard quality. Gap analysis employed for customer gap measurement is elaborated on the basis of the results obtained from questionnaire enquiry directed on customers and employers of the company sales places that were under examination. Questionnaire enquiry revealed substantial disparity between the perception of standard by employers and customers, especially in terms of sales personnel contact with customer. The research has quantified the size of customer gaps within sales service quality standard categories. In addition, it identifies problem areas detected by means of the carried out analysis as well as it provides suggestions for their solution. Keywords: customer gaps, sales service quality standard, sales personnel Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 137-142 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020137 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020137.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020137.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0019.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020137 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Katarína Kleinová Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra marketingu, Fakulta ekonomiky a manažmentu, Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovenská republika Author-Name: Zuzana Lušňáková Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra marketingu, Fakulta ekonomiky a manažmentu, Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovenská republika Title: Image: Slovak versus foreign foodstuffs Abstract: In a market situation, where the products of competing companies are becoming more similar, whether in quality or price, it is still necessary to look for new and new tools that should properly differentiate the various products or services from the competitive company. Undoubtedly one of these tools is the image that has become an essential part of marketing. Image is essentially the idea, symbol, which the consumer associates only at the mention the name of the product or company. Image performs several tasks. First, its role is to eliminate the anonymity between producer and consumer and on the other hand, image subjectively facilitates a customer orientation to market and thus facilitate decision making. Customers are fed up with information on the products and services, and so they replace the lack of objective knowledge by creating their own ideas. Sometimes these ideas may be even stronger motive to buy properties as the actual product. Keywords: image, country of origin, consumer behaviour, foodstuffs Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 143-148 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020143 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020143.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020143.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0020.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020143 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vladimír Konečný Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Oldřich Trenz Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Dana Dvořáková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Evolution of insurance company service quality survey, using self-learning neural network Abstract: The objective of the paper is to demonstrate the abilities and possible approaches to classification of set of objects using self-organizing maps. As the objects, clients of an insurance company that made an agreement regarding mandatory insurance of motor vehicles were selected. The opinions of the clients and their overall satisfaction reflected in responses to presented answers.The clients were classified into three groups. The first two contained satisfied clients (i.e. good clients for the company), the last group contained clients that could potentially switch to the competitors. Subsequent analysis enabled discovering the reasons of low customer satisfaction and critical factors of losing the least satisfied clients.For the analysis of the responses (one hundred fifty-one) and the insurance company, experimental model of self-organizing map realized at the Department of informatics was used. Used experimental model has proved very effective software tool. Keywords: insurance company, neural network, self-learning, classification, class representative, plane projection Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 149-154 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020149 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020149.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020149.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0021.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020149 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jens Körner Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Title: Is debt restructuring needed to make the Stability and Growth Pact (more) credible? Abstract: The emergence of the so-called PIIGS crisis which in 2009 became acute due to strongly diverging risk premiums, marked the beginning of a new phase for the European Monetary Union. Whilst the run-up to EMU had been characterized by an encouraging convergence of macroeconomic fundamentals of its member countries, it is now facing a serious threat in particular due to excessive levels of public debt. In 1997, the Stability and Growth Pact introduced a mechanism designed to prevent excessive public debt of the type currently observed; the fact of the matter, however, seems to be that levels of public debt has continuously grown from one economic cycle to the next. But the SGP apparently not only failed to fulfil its aim to keep the deficit and the debt level within its limits but also suffered from a severe loss of credibility; unless some profound action is taken it may further diminish, severely hampering the loose structure of the European Monetary Union. In order to regain some credibility, mitigate financial market's concerns and, hence, lower borrowing cost, a consolidation path is needed to returns to acceptable levels of debt in the foreseeable future. This process has already started and measures have been taken by several eurozone countries to speed up fiscal consolidation. The aim of the paper is to analyze whether or not the group of the PIIGS countries are likely to return to debt levels in accordance with the SGP criteria or if it might be necessary to undergo a process of debt restructuring or default. By analysing different scenarios where nominal interest rates on debt (r) and nominal growth rates (n) as well as gaps thereof (r-n), herein called the automatic debt dynamics, are varied, this paper comes to the conclusion, that debt restructuring or default is a likely outcome for some of the PIIGS; arithmetics is in particular playing against Greece. As disillusioning and disappointing this outcome might be for some observers, it could be the starting point for a more credible set of rules for the SGP, which the author deems to remain a crucial component in any institutional set-up within the eurozone. Keywords: Stability and Growth Pact, European Monetary Union, sovereign debt crisis, PIIGS crisis, debt restructuring, debt default Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 155-164 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020155 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020155.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020155.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0022.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020155 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lubor Lacina Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav financí, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Petr Toman Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav financí, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: A free-floating currency regime during economic crisis: advantage or disadvantage? Abstract: The paper deals with the identification of potential disadvantages associated with the existence of national currencies with the floating exchange rate regime during the current financial and economic crisis in countries postponing their entry into the eurozone. The hypothesis is that the advantages of a floating exchange rate may be outweighed by their disadvantages (high volatility of exchange rates). First part of the paper provides evidence about the development of Czech crown exchange rate since transition from fix to free float regime. Special attention will be given to the period during the recent global economic crisis. For the sake of comparison, evolution of other currencies in the region (zloty, forint and Slovak crown), will be taken to consideration. Second part of the paper form case studies identifying impact due to volatility on national currencies. Case studies were used to identify possible negative impacts from volatility in national currencies on export firms in the Czech Republic and holders of mortgage loans denominated in foreign currencies in Hungary. The last part of the paper will formulate recommendations for businesses entering into foreign trade relationships, as well as for policy makers in countries using national currencies which are preparing for membership in the eurozone. Keywords: exchange rate volatility, economic crisis, export firm, mortgage, eurozone Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 165-176 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020165 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020165.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020165.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0023.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020165 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Thomas Laufer Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Soft factors have an empirically testifiable effect on rating grade Abstract: The conclusions herein contain the summary of the results of an empirical survey in proof of the effects of soft factors on corporate rating grade.In the effort, three different software applications have been used. By means of the applications, the soft factors in corporate ratings previously identified in a related effort have been assessed for their impacts. That means all other applicable soft factors have been treated in a neutral manner.As a result based on assessments supplied by the three applications, weighted effect has been determined of soft factors, allowing to compile priority charts for the deployment of the factors as a targeted marketing tool. The charts also include the respective positive and a negative effects of hard factors. Keywords: rating, Basel II, soft rating factors, marketing strategy, marketing instruments Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 177-182 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020177 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020177.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020177.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0024.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020177 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Dagmar Lesáková Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra marketingu, Obchodná fakulta, Ekonomická univerzita v Bratislave, Dolnozemská 1, 852 35 Bratislava, Slovenská republika Title: Assessment of customer relationship development Abstract: The focus of this paper is customer relationship marketing and its new trends. The particular goal of the presented research study was to identify and analyse the indicators of customer relationship development in human resources recruitment / leasing companies. Nine indicators have been explored: mission statement concerning customer commitment, customer attraction, customer commitment, development of customer value, understanding customer needs, goals for customer satisfaction, after sales services, measurement of customer satisfaction, complaint management. The indicators were made sequentially operational in order to translate customer relationship development into specific activities designed to increase business performance. Based on a set of customer indicators four scientific hypotheses were tested. We proved that strong customer orientation has a positive impact on business performance. Out of nine indicators, seven of them have a strong impact on business outcomes. The research confirms that business performance increases with firm size and market density, and that introduction of quality management systems improves company performance. Finally, the appropriateness of the customer relationship indicators applied in human resources recruitment companies is discussed. Keywords: customer focus, market orientation, business performance, customer satisfaction Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 183-188 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020183 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020183.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020183.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0025.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020183 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jitka Machalová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Modelling of chosen selectable factors of the develop of tourism with geographic IT and fuzzy sets using Abstract: The tourism is the significant tool of prosperity not only of the well-known touristic regions, but it is significant potential developing element of not so developed provincial regions. Develop and placements of tourism are dependent on factors (conditions) that influence its use in concrete regions. These factors are classified into selectable, localisation, and realisation (localisation and realisation factors issue was published as a part of solution of the research plan of FBE No. MSM 6215648904, part 03). The selectable factors determine the possibilities of the region to develop tourism in demand function. The landscape character and the environment appertain to these objective presumptions. But these presumptions were subjective perceived. The aim of this paper is to make methodology of evaluation of introduced selectable factors. Geographic information technology will be use for spatial modelling. Theory of fuzzy sets, with its ability to catch the vagueness, will be use for defining of fuzzygeoelements and for the making several fuzzylayers. The fuzzylayers will be come into map algebra for whole formulation of these selectable factors. The methodology will be verified on territory micro region Babi lom (south of Moravia). Keywords: tourism, spatial modelling, geographic IT, fuzzy sets, map algebra Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 189-198 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020189 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020189.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020189.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0026.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020189 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Klára Mrkosová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Ondřej Dufek Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Luděk Majer Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Loyalty programs as a part of company's marketing strategy Abstract: This paper aims to characterize the current status of using customer loyalty programs in the Czech Republic. Customer loyalty programs are evaluated as a part of marketing communication, where especially customer cards have a specific role in communication mix of selected companies. Furthermore, customer loyalty programs are evaluated from the perspective of internal marketing system company, as an invaluable source of data about customers. Obtained data are used for decisions on segmentation, targeting and overall marketing strategy. Customer loyalty programs in the Czech Republic are also examined from the perspective of consumers - factors that influence consumer involvement in these programs are evaluated. The paper also shows the results of desk research about personal information provided by consumers to engage in customer loyalty programs. Keywords: loyalty program, loyalty card, consumer, personal data Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 199-204 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020199 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020199.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020199.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0027.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020199 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Danuše Nerudová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav účetnictví a daní, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Financial sector taxation: Financial activities tax or financial transaction tax? Abstract: The recent financial crises has revealed the need to improve and ensure the stability of the financial sector to reduce negative externalities, to ensure fair and substantial contribution of the financial sector to the public finances and the need to consolidate public finance. All those needs represent substantial arguments for the discussion about the introduction of financial sector taxation. There are discussed in the paper two possible schemes of financial sector taxation - financial transaction tax and financial activities tax. The aim of the paper is to research the possibility of the introduction of financial sector taxation, to discuss the pros and cons of two major candidates on financial sector taxation - financial transaction tax and financial activities tax and to suggest the possible candidate suitable for the implementation on the EU level. Financial transaction tax represents the tool suitable mainly on global level, for only in that case enables generate sufficient financial resources. From EU point of view is considered as less suitable, for it bears the risk of reallocation. Therefore the introduction of financial activities tax on EU level is considered as a better solution for the financial sector taxation in the EU, for financial sector is exempted from value added tax. With respect to the fact, that the implementation would represent the innovative approach to the financial sector taxation, there are no empirical proves and therefore this could be the subject of further research. Keywords: financial transaction tax, financial activities tax, tax base, crises, financial sector Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 205-212 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020205 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020205.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020205.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0028.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020205 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Milan Palát Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Alois Kunc Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Assessing the GDP structure in global comparison Abstract: The paper deals with identifying relationships between the household consumption and the GDP on the selected sample of countries of the world. It provides an analysis of the GDP structure and its development and, on the basis of available statistic data, carries out evaluation of the development of the GDP structure from the point of view of the expenditure method of its estimating in the selected sample of the world countries. In this respect, the validity of a hypothesis is also verified that countries with higher GDP per capita reach the lower proportion of consumption in the total GDP than countries with a lower GDP per capita, namely at the global comparison on the more heterogeneous sample of countries than analyses published so far. Keywords: gross domestic product, household consumption, regression analysis, global comparison Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 213-220 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020213 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020213.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020213.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0029.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020213 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Aleš Peprný Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Lea Kubíčková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Method of evaluating the success of the dairy Czech small and medium-sized enterprises Abstract: The paper is focused on the draft of the method for quantification of the factors, which determine the success of the SMEs in foreign markets. In the proposed method the multidimensional assessment of indicators of success of SMEs in foreign markets are used, ie. not only the proportion of sales from exports is observed, but also the profitability of international activities in an absolute and in a relative rate. Other indicators of success are the satisfaction of the company management with international activities and the success of achieving defined targets for business activities in foreign markets. Evaluation is made up of both the objective and the subjective indicators of success. Among the objective indicators of success is included the intensity of international activities of SMEs, which is detected as the sum of revenues generated from international activities in relation to total sales company, the profitability of international activities, (ie. whether the foreign activities are profitable or not), and the relative profitability of international activities, where it is ascertained whether the foreign activities generate higher profit than the activities at the domestic market. The next subjective indicator of success is the success of objectives - it was found how many objectives related to operations in foreign markets has been achieved. Another indicator is the subjective satisfaction of the company management with existing activities on foreign markets. Overall performance on foreign markets of the company is quantified using an assessment of objective and subjective indicators of success. Using the defined evaluation it will be possible to determine which of the SMEs are more and which are less successful in foreign markets. Finally, this evaluation model is used for the research aimed at identifying characteristics affecting the success of dairy SMEs in the foreign markets. Keywords: small and medium-sized enterprises, internationalization, indicators of success, evaluating of the success of the SMEs Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 221-230 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020221 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020221.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020221.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0030.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020221 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Přikrylová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Title: The development of income and income differentiation in the Czech Republic according to the EU SILC Abstract: The report deals with a brief description of the EU SILC (European Union - Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) statistical enquiry, which is pursued by the Czech Statistical Office accordingly to the European Union methodical instructions. The survey sampling proceeds in order to coordinate the methodical procedures in all EU countries according to the Regulation (EC) 1177/2003; and in the long term, it is meant to acquire the data on the income and social situation of inhabitants. The survey enables to obtain the representative data on the particular types of households income distributions, the way, quality and financial claims of living, the household equipment of things for long-time usage. Every year the survey is extended by the households living conditions modulus.The object of the paper concerns the delimitation of Czech households income levels in the years of 2005-2008 with the basic income characteristics quantification. The primary data of EU SILC survey conducted in the years of 2005-2008 were used for the income and income differentiation analysis. The Czech economics development after the period of transformation refers to a low income differentiation, therefore the basic methodical tools of income differentiation (Gini coefficient, income deciles analysis, Theil index, Robin Hood index) will be used to prove such a matter of fact. The attention will be paid to the delimitation of the main factors influencing the income differentiation. The poverty and households endangered by poverty present a frequent topic of proffesional and laic discussions. The basic tools for the poverty level determination will be applicated in the paper, as well as the low income group analysis in particular years with the principal characteristics delimitation. The typical sign of a low income group presents social security benefits, whose structure will be introduced in the paper. At the close, we will approach to the EU SILC survey results comparison in the particular member states with the emphasis on their risk of poverty level. Keywords: income, income differentiation, poverty, EU SILC, living conditions, income deciles Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 231-236 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020231 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020231.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020231.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0031.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020231 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Petr Rozmahel Author-Workplace-Name: Výzkumné centrum, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Measuring the business cycles similarity and convergence trends in the Central and Eastern European countries towards the Eurozone with respect to some unclear methodological aspects Abstract: The adoption of Euro in Slovakia since January 2009 and current world economic crises revived a debate on timing of the Euro adoption in the Czech Republic and other Central and Eastern European countries. The purpose of the article is to contribute to a discussion on the process of joining the Eurozone by the Czech Republic and other candidate countries. The paper provides an analysis of few business cycle similarity and convergence measures using different indicators and detrending techniques. Measures of business cycles similarity are ordinarily used to evaluate preparedness of candidate countries to join the Eurozone. The results indicate continuing convergence of the business cycles similarity between the candidate and Eurozone member countries. The paper also sheds some light on possible influence of selected detrending techniques upon the resultant correlations. It gives a recommendation to interpret the results of business cycles correlation measuring in the close context with used methodology. A short note on a regional approach to analyse the GDP cycles is also included in a text. Keywords: business cycles, convergence, correlation, Eurozone, optimum currency areas Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 237-250 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020237 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020237.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020237.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0032.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020237 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kamila Růžičková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jana Kolmanová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Michaela Loupová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Determinants of the company value Abstract: Today, there are many conceptions involving creation of the company value, as it is the main objective for the owners. However, there are still many companies interested primarily in the different company's objectives and enhance its competitive position differently. The aim of the paper is to present and analyze the viewpoints of Czech and foreign specialists on the issue of company value creation. The paper provides the determination of factors positively influencing the company value, the description of their characteristics, and on the basis of a detailed academic discussion proposes conclusions. Attention is paid especially to the value drivers which are not recorded in the financial documents.The introduction of the paper gives a brief overview of the topic. The paper is divided into three main parts. The first part introduces the effective cost management. It clarifies the concept of the managerial accounting and explains its contribution to the creation of the company value. The second part deals with the external relationships of the company. It focuses on the buyer-supplier relationships and offers the detailed perspective on the specific issue of the agricultural companies and their competitiveness in relation to the land leases. The third part concentrates on the internal company environment, namely on the human capital potential and its effects on the value of the company. In the concluding part, the findings are summarized. Based on the results, the figure describing the determinants and generators of the company value is formed. This figure can be considered a systematic procedure how to create a company value.All findings are supported with the literature review e.g. Armstrong (2007), Fibírová and Šoljaková (2005), Marinič (2008), Petřík (2007) and Porter (2004). Within the paper elaboration, the analysis and synthesis as scientific methods were used for explanation of the experts' points of view and then summed up as the partial and final results. The logical-systematic method was employed for clarification of the initial conditions, context illustration, partial outcomes creation and deduction of the final results. Keywords: buyer-supplier relationships, cost management, human capital, value of the company Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 251-256 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020251 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020251.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020251.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0033.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020251 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Kateřina Ryglová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: The marketing tools of quality management in tourism services Abstract: The paper aims to show possible approaches towards managing the quality of services in tourism. With respect to the character of services it is necessary to pay regard to their specifications, such as especially their intangibility, perishability and heterogeneity. So it is rather difficult to measure the quality of a service, but it can be successfully evaluated according to the satisfaction of a customer. The example of a possible utilization of the ECSI model (ECSI: European Customer Satisfaction Index) concerning the analysis of customer satisfaction for the area of tourism is a part of this paper. In the phase of applying and verifying the suggested modification of the ECSI model the technique of electronic questioning have been used. The total satisfaction index measured by the ECSI method reached 54% for Czech Railways/České Dráhy, 79% for Student Agency and 72% for Tourbus. The results of the customer satisfaction analysis by the ECSI method can simplify decision-making not only from the position of a manager or a businessperson but they can also simplify the process of decision-making for a customer when selecting a destination, a firm, or possibly when purchasing a service or a product. Keywords: quality management, tourism, customer satisfaction, ECSI Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 257-266 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020257 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020257.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020257.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0034.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020257 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Řezáč Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav matematiky a statistiky, Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita, Kotlářská 2, 611 37 Brno, Česká republika Title: Advanced empirical estimate of information value for credit scoring models Abstract: Credit scoring, it is a term for a wide spectrum of predictive models and their underlying techniques that aid financial institutions in granting credits. These methods decide who will get credit, how much credit they should get, and what further strategies will enhance the profitability of the borrowers to the lenders. Many statistical tools are avaiable for measuring quality, within the meaning of the predictive power, of credit scoring models. Because it is impossible to use a scoring model effectively without knowing how good it is, quality indexes like Gini, Kolmogorov-Smirnov statisic and Information value are used to assess quality of given credit scoring model.The paper deals primarily with the Information value, sometimes called divergency. Commonly it is computed by discretisation of data into bins using deciles. One constraint is required to be met in this case. Number of cases have to be nonzero for all bins. If this constraint is not fulfilled there are some practical procedures for preserving finite results. As an alternative method to the empirical estimates one can use the kernel smoothing theory, which allows to estimate unknown densities and consequently, using some numerical method for integration, to estimate value of the Information value.The main contribution of this paper is a proposal and description of the empirical estimate with supervised interval selection. This advanced estimate is based on requirement to have at least k, where k is a positive integer, observations of socres of both good and bad client in each considered interval. A simulation study shows that this estimate outperform both the empirical estimate using deciles and the kernel estimate. Furthermore it shows high dependency on choice of the parameter k. If we choose too small value, we get overestimated value of the Information value, and vice versa. Adjusted square root of number of bad clients seems to be a reasonable compromise. Keywords: credit scoring, quality indexes, information value, empirical estimate, kernel smoothing Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 267-274 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020267 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020267.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020267.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0035.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020267 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zuzana Schwarzová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Šárka Stojarová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: The loyalty on the market of agricultural machines Abstract: The article is dealing with the market of agricultural machinery with the focus on the loyalty of agricultural subjects. In this market the brand is very important factor that can influence fundamentally the purchaser during buying a machine. Totally there are three types, the subjects that are totally not influenced by the brand mark, the subjects taking in their consideration the brand mark but just as one factor and the rest that is loyalty and buys just one brand. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the customers in this market and their loyalty to each brand. To reach the main goal there were analyzed data of agricultural subject's facilities, perception of brand marks and their relation. The data were used from own primary marketing research and analyzed by the help of statistics methods for marketing research as a Chi-square test, Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and testing the hypotheses. The other part of this paper was focused on the satisfaction of respondents with each brand that they own. According to the article objective there were set hypotheses for following testing that were main mean to solve the goal. The result of this paper is found loyalty for just one brand in the agricultural machinery market. For John Deere brand there was proven the loyalty - subjects perceiving the mark as the best in the market and also buying it. The results can help for our future analyses to understand factors influencing the market and analyses of each brand and how their strategy in the market is conformed to the subject perception and behavior. Keywords: agricultural machines, behavior, loyalty, brand mark Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 275-278 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020275 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020275.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020275.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0036.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020275 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Monica Singhania Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi, New Delhi-110007, India Author-Name: P. K. Gupta Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Management Studies, JMI University, New Delhi-110025, India Title: Globalisation of accounting standards and competitive posture of Indian companies Abstract: Unification of the global financial reporting system is essential to enable comparability of financial statements at the international level in post crisis competitive environment. IFRSs are increasingly gaining acceptance as global accounting standards. With European Union adopting the IFRS in 2005, as on date over 116 countries have already either converged their accounting standards with IFRS or adopted IFRS as such and many more are in the process. Countries refusing IFRS are likely to be viewed as more risky by the international investors thereby affecting the inflow of capital to such countries. In India, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) the apex body dealing with accounting standards has declared the roadmap of IFRS convergence in a phased manner from April 1, 2011. Our paper highlights the status of Indian accounting standards converging to IFRS as of now. In addition, a full fledged theoretical framework is developed showcasing, the convergence timeline, the major differences in the treatment of select items under these two alternative accounting environments, exact stage at which the Indian accounting standards are today in view of the announced convergence to IFRS and the legal and regulatory issues in converging to IFRS in India. We investigate the case of 150 odd firms and show the impact of convergence on financial ratios and the related valuation concerns. Finally, we indicate the strategic implications of IFRS adoption to Indian companies. Keywords: IFRS, Indian GAAP, convergence, fair value, regulations, AS, IAS Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 279-290 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020279 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020279.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020279.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0037.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020279 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Martin Souček Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketing a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jana Turčínková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketing a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Lifetime value in business process Abstract: The paper focuses on lifetime value assessment and its implementation and application in business processes. The lifetime value is closely connected to customer relationship management. The paper presents results of three consecutive researches devoted to issues of customer relationship management. The first two from 2008 and 2010 were conducted as quantitative ones; the one from 2009 had qualitative nature. The respondents were representatives of particular companies. The means for data collection was provided by ReLa system. We will focus on individual attributes of lifetime value of a customer, and relate them to approaches of authors mentioned in introduction. Based on the qualitative research data, the paper focuses on individual customer lifetime value parameters. These parameters include: the cost to the customer relationship acquisition and maintenance, profit generated from a particular customer, customer awareness value, the level of preparedness to adopt new products, the value of references and customer loyalty level. For each of these parameters, the paper provides specific recommendations. Moreover, it is possible to learn about the nature of these parameter assessments in the Czech environment. Keywords: lifetime value, customer, customer relationship management Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 291-298 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020291 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020291.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020291.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0038.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020291 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Daniel Stavárek Author-Workplace-Name: Slezská univerzita v Opavě, Obchodně podnikatelská fakulta v Karviné, Katedra financí, Univerzitní náměstí 1934/3, 733 40 Karviná, Česká republika Author-Name: Iveta Řepková Author-Workplace-Name: Slezská univerzita v Opavě, Obchodně podnikatelská fakulta v Karviné, Katedra financí, Univerzitní náměstí 1934/3, 733 40 Karviná, Česká republika Title: Estimation of the competitive conditions in the Czech banking sector Abstract: The paper uses New Empirical Industrial Organization approach, especially Panzar-Rosse model to estimates the level of competition of the banking industry in the Czech Republic during the period 2001-2009. We apply Panzar-Rosse model to estimate H statistic for a panel of 15 banks, which represent almost 90 % of the market. This paper also measures and compares the degree of banking competition in two sub-periods, 2001-2005 and 2005-2009, in order to investigate development of the competitive structure of the Czech banking industry. We found that the market was in equilibrium during most of the estimation period, which is a necessary condition for sound evaluation of the competition level. While the market can be described as perfectly competitive in 2001-2005, the intensity of competition decreased after joining the EU in 2004 and the market can be characterized as one of monopolistic competition in 2005-2009. The monopolistic competition in the Czech banking market was also revealed if the full sample 2001-2009 is considered. Keywords: Panzar-Rosse model, competition, banking sector, Czech Republic Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 299-306 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020299 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020299.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020299.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0039.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020299 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Stávková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Ladislav Stejskal Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Ľudmila Nagyová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu, Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita, Nitra, tr. A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovenská republika Title: Income differentiation of households in the CR Abstract: The Czech Republic has recently experienced phases of economic growth and periods of economic crisis, this fact affects the standard of living and household behaviour and affects the formation of lifestyle. This paper deals with the income situation of households. The main source of data is EU SILC survey from the years 2005 to 2008.The result of the enquiry and processing of primary data is information about the average income per household member, the poverty level and the number of households at risk of poverty. For the formulation of income differentiation is used Gini coefficient. Attention is paid to factors that affect income inequality (the number of household members, social group, age). Information, about the income situation of households, is amended by following indicators of material deprivation. The paper also analyses the impact of social transfers on income inequality. The analysis and subsequent solving of the problem of income inequality may be contributed with further analysis of empirical data of this type. Keywords: income differentiation of households, poverty level, material deprivation, social transfers Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 307-318 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020307 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020307.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020307.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0040.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020307 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Andrea Sujová Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra podnikového hospodárstva, Technická univerzita vo Zvolene, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovenská republika Title: Process restructuralization and its importance by increasing a competitiveness of an enterprise Abstract: Restructuralization in traditional understanding is considered for solution of crisis situation in an enterprise. However, it is important to emphasize that restructuralization shouldn't be connected only with crisis situation in enterprises. In present time the restructuralization has become a tool enabling revaluation of present enterprising activities and to relocate sources towards increasing the enterprise performance. This paper is focused on substance of restructuralization based on process approach that can enable to optimalize enterprise structure and process and increase competitiveness of an enterprise. Results of research in Slovak and Czech enterprises showed that implementation of process management components by realization of strategic changes enabled to achieve the increase of business performance. Opinions of experts as also experiences of enterprises with realization of changes supported process approach as a basic condition for successful restructuralization. In paper we pay attention especially to effects of enterprise's restructuralization with emphasis on process approach to restructuralization management which is more effective in comparison with function approach. Keywords: restructuralization, process management, process approach, enterprise's competitiveness Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 319-324 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020319 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020319.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020319.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0041.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020319 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Irena Szarowská Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra financí, Obchodně podnikatelská fakulta v Karviné, Slezská univerzita v Opavě, Univerzitní nám. 1934/3, 73 340 Karviná, Česká republika Title: Changes in taxation and their impact on economic growth in the European Union Abstract: The aim of the paper is to analyze changes in taxation and their impact on economic growth in the European Union. The analysis is performed on adjusted annual panel data of 24 European Union countries in a period 1995-2008. Panel regression with fixed effects is used as a basic method of research. The panel regression is based on analysis the effect of total tax quota changes on GDP growth in model 1, of changes in its components (social contribution, direct and indirect tax quotas) in model 2 and of personal and corporate income tax quota changes in model 3. Results of empirical tests verify statistically significant negative effect of tax burden on GDP growth. Total tax quota increased by 1% decreases the GDP growth rate by 0.29% in the same year. Estimations confirm a statistically significant negative effect of direct taxes on GDP growth as well. A cut in the direct tax quota by 1% raises the GDP growth rate by 0.43%. The model also presents a high negative impact of an increase in the corporate income tax quota on GDP growth (a value of the regression coefficient is minus 1.28%). The effect of social contribution quota on GDP growth is not statistically significant in any estimation. Keywords: taxation, tax burden, economic growth, panel regression Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 325-332 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020325 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020325.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020325.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0042.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020325 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marcel Ševela Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav ekonomie, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: International trade and endogenous growth: the case of Czech economy Abstract: The paper is focuses on testing of the presence of increasing returns to scale in the Czech economy production function that is constructed upon Solow growth accounting formula. The growth relation is adapted for imperfect competition in the goods market. In the second step the spillover effect to total factor productivity is tested based on import openness of the economy and share of productive equipment imports to gross domestic product. Using data on Czech economy in years 1993-2009 for OLS estimates, the presence of increasing returns to scale was proved in all tested models, the obtained returns to scale parameter is about 2. Explained variability is relatively poor for the full data sample, limiting the data range to 1999-2009 the model is able explain almost 57 %. Tests for spillover effect modeled through import shares do not bring evidence about appropriate significance, the common test of OLS approach indicated very low contribution for import variables in both versions. Keywords: endogenous growth, economic growth, returns to scale, international trade, imperfect competition Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 333-338 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020333 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020333.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020333.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0043.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020333 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Široký Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra veřejné ekonomiky, VŠB-Technická univerzita Ostrava, 701 21 Ostrava, Česká republika Author-Name: Anna Kovářová Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra veřejné ekonomiky, VŠB-Technická univerzita Ostrava, 701 21 Ostrava, Česká republika Title: Changes in VAT rates during the economic crisis Abstract: To solve the current economical crisis, there are used various tools of economic policy. Some of them are changes in taxes, particularly changes in the value added tax due to its importance.Value added tax is the most harmonized tax in the single internal market of the European Communities. Although community law defines the basic legal constraints of VAT rules in individual countries, the Council Directive 2006/112/EC on the common system of value added tax, as amended, leaves some areas open for the Member States. One of the main characteristics of VAT is its tax rates which are - while maintaining specified minimal borders - in competency of Member States.Paper illustrates and evaluates the changes in tax rates of individual Member States during the economic crisis and points to their context and consequences. Keywords: value added tax, community lax, reduced tax rate, EC (EU) directives, economic crisis Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 339-346 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020339 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020339.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020339.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0044.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020339 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michael Štencl Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Ondřej Popelka Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jiří Šťastný Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Comparison of time series forecasting with artificial neural network and statistical approach Abstract: In this paper we concentrate on prediction of future values based on the past course of a variable. Traditionally this problem is solved using statistical analysis - first a time-series model is constructed and then statistical prediction algorithms are applied to it in order to obtain future values. The time series modelling is a very powerful method, but it requires knowledge or discovery of initial conditions when constructing the model.The experiment described in this paper consists of a comparison of results computed by Multi-layer perceptron network with different learning algorithms previously published and results computed with different types of ARMA models. For the network configuration an analytical approach has been applied through the cross-validation method. We performed an exact comparison of both approaches on real-world data set. Results of two types of artificial neural network learning algorithms are compared with two algorithms of statistical prediction of future values.The experiment results are later discussed from several different points. First the comparison is focused on output precision of both approaches. The comparison consists of matching neural networks results and real values on few steps of prediction. Then the results of ARMA models are compared with real values and conclusion is made. The conclusion also includes theoretical and practical recommendations. Keywords: artificial neural networks, time series forecasting, statistical approach, comparison study Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 347-352 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020347 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020347.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020347.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0045.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020347 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Šťastný Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: David Procházka Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Tomáš Koubek Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jaromír Landa Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Augmented reality usage for prototyping speed up Abstract: The integral part of production process in many companies is prototyping. Although, these companies commonly have high quality visualization tools (large screen projections, virtual reality), prototyping was never abandoned. There is a number of reasons. The most important is the possibility of model observation from any angle without any physical constraints and its haptic feedback. The interactivity of model adjustments is important as well. The direct work with the model allows the designers to focus on the creative process more than work with a computer. There is still a problem with a difficult adjustability of the model. More significant changes demand completely new prototype or at least longer time for its realization.The first part of the article describes our approach for solution of this problem by means of Augmented Reality. The merging of the real world model and digital objects allows streamline the work with the model and speed up the whole production phase significantly. The main advantage of augmented reality is the possibility of direct manipulation with the scene using a portable digital camera. Also adding digital objects into the scene could be done using identification markers placed on the surface of the model. Therefore it is not necessary to work with special input devices and lose the contact with the real world model. Adjustments are done directly on the model. The key problem of outlined solution is the ability of identification of an object within the camera picture and its replacement with the digital object. The second part of the article is focused especially on the identification of exact position and orientation of the marker within the picture. The identification marker is generalized into the triple of points which represents a general plane in space. There is discussed the space identification of these points and the description of representation of their position and orientation be means of transformation matrix. This matrix is used for rendering of the graphical objects (e. g. in OpenGL and Direct3D). Keywords: augmented reality, prototyping, pose estimation, transformation matrix Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 353-360 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020353 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020353.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020353.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0046.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020353 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ivana Tichá Author-Workplace-Name: Katedra řízení, Provozně ekonomická fakulta, Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze, Kamýcká 129, 165 21 Praha 6, Česká republika Title: Exploring intellectual capital through social network analysis: a conceptual framework Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to assess intellectual capital. Intellectual capital is a key element in an organization's future earning potential. Theoretical and empirical studies show that it is the unique combination of the different elements of intellectual capital and tangible investments that determines an enterprise's competitive advantage. Intellectual capital has been defined as the combination of an organization's human, organizational and relational resources and activities. It includes the knowledge, skills, experience and abilities of the employees, its R&D activities, organizational, routines, procedures, systems, databases and its Intellectual Property Rights, as well as all the resources linked to its external relationships, such as with its customers, suppliers, R&D partners, etc. This paper focuses on the relational capital and attempts to suggest a conceptual framework to assess this part of intellectual capital applying social network analysis approach. The SNA approach allows for mapping and measuring of relationships and flows between, people, groups, organizations, computers, URLs, and other connected information/knowledge entities. The conceptual framework is developed for the assessment of collaborative networks in the Czech higher education sector as the representation of its relational capital. It also builds on the previous work aiming at proposal of methodology guiding efforts to report intellectual capital at the Czech public universities. Keywords: intellectual capital, relational capital, social network analysis, collaborative networks, higher education Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 361-364 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020361 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020361.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020361.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0047.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020361 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pavel Turčínek Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Arnošt Motyčka Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav informatiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Possibilities of using ICT for increase of customer feeling of exceptionality Abstract: Accession of the Internet undoubtedly has contributed to the shift of marketing activities. With the increasing availability and wealth of online information customers become more knowledgeable and sophisticated. If a company wants to keep its customers in long term, it must offer something more than an "ordinary" product, which has comparable substitutes in tens of other companies.At first it is necessary to identify customers behavior and thinking. Observation of his/her preferences of a demanded product line discovers products playing the key role from his/her point of view. We use methodical tools for this purpose e.g. CRM systems, Business Intelligence etc. Over gained metrics from data in data warehouses (observation subsystem) we make evaluations according to various criteria (subsystem of evaluation). In this report we methodically open up not just e.g. data mining technologies, but also based on aggregated data we infer e.g. consumer's trends.The goal of the article is to point out suitable instruments which enable to create interaction with customers, where they'll be able to participate in creation products of their own. The Internet seems as a perfect communication channel for this interaction. Web application will consist of solution of an observation subsystem as a database application and of evaluation subsystem as the application of a row of methods e.g. multicriteria evaluation. Web applications feedback effect leads into knowledge of selected customer's characteristics, which enables to offer him/her among others a special line of standard products.By creating a disposable web application it's possible e.g. to offer customers absolutely common products with different visual angle. Thanks to gained information and knowledge we divide customers into groups and then target on them specifically. Keywords: customer, value for customer, ICT, CRM, web application Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 365-370 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020365 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020365.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020365.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0048.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020365 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Turčínková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketing a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jitka Kalábová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketing a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Preferences of Moravian consumers when buying food Abstract: The paper presents results of research of preferences of Moravian consumers when buying food. The research focuses on characteristics of consumer behavior on the market with food, the preferences of product characteristics, price characteristics, convenient distribution and influence of selected marketing communication tools. The data collection was conducted via questionnaire in April through June 2010 on a sample of 2017 respondents by a research team of Department of Marketing and Trade at FBE MENDELU in Brno. The results suggest that Moravian consumers prefer retail stores with fresh food (mean = 7.99) and wider assortment (7.71), their choice of outlet is also influenced by the convenience of its location - the most preferred are the ones nearest to respondents' homes or job (7.31), nevertheless, there is greater variability in level of agreement with this behavior among respondents. Respondents develop a certain level of loyalty, most of them have their favorite store and do no alternate much (7.26). However, they tend to be as savvy as possible (6.89) and take their time to consider their final choice (6.52). Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 371-376 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020371 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020371.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020371.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0049.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020371 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Marek Záboj Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Model of the co-operative trade alliance for independent retail networks in Czech Republic Abstract: The main objective of the contribution is proposal of the model of co-operative trade alliance for independent trade alliances with fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in Czech Republic. Reason of the choice of this topic is sustain of variety of retail formats in Czech market in connection with position small and medium sized trade firms in comparison with transnational trade chains. Independent trade firms face to much bigger competitors operating supermarkets and hypermarkets, namely not even in size of sales area, width and depth of the assortment but also in possibility of negotiation of more profitable trade conditions with their suppliers. Effort of these independent trade firms, which operate mostly just in local or maximally regional market, is then mutual co-operation in form of consumer co-operatives, associations, alliances and networks. These groupings then mainly through common trade negotiation and purchase get for much more advantageous delivery and payment conditions from their suppliers. Besides they can participate in mutual financing of using of promotion instruments. Partial aim of the paper is investigation of opinion and willingness of Czech trade alliances with FMCG to utilize the opportunity of mutual co-operation in common trade alliance. Next partial goal is identification of the factors affecting formation of joint co-operative grouping and its structure, eventually definition of entry conditions which should be fulfilled by individual members.The system approach will be used to realize the given objective. This approach appears as the most suitable in consideration of anticipated structure and character of supposed model. The result will be then proposal of model of mutual co-operation between individual trade alliances. Keywords: trade, retail, alliance, cooperation, independent trade, distribution, purchase Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 377-384 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020377 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020377.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020377.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0050.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020377 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ieva Zemīte Author-Workplace-Name: School of Business Administration Turiba, Graudu 68, Riga, Latvia Author-Name: Valdis Janovs Author-Workplace-Name: School of Business Administration Turiba, Graudu 68, Riga, Latvia Author-Name: Ineta Luka Author-Workplace-Name: School of Business Administration Turiba, Graudu 68, Riga, Latvia Title: Quality benchmarking methodology: Case study of finance and culture industries in Latvia Abstract: Political, socio-economic and cultural changes that have taken place in the world during the last years have influenced all the spheres. Constant improvements are necessary to sustain in rival and shrinking markets. This sets high quality standards for the service industries. Therefore it is important to conduct comparison of quality criteria to ascertain which practices are achieving superior performance levels. At present companies in Latvia do not carry out mutual benchmarking, and as a result of that do not know how they rank against their peers in terms of quality, as well as they do not see benefits in sharing of information and in benchmarking.The purpose of this paper is to determine the criteria of qualitative benchmarking, and to investigate the use of the benchmarking quality in service industries, particularly: finance and culture sectors in Latvia in order to determine the key driving factors of quality, to explore internal and foreign benchmarks, and to reveal the full potential of inputs' reduction and efficiency growth for the aforementioned industries.Case study and other tools are used to define the readiness of the company for benchmarking. Certain key factors are examined for their impact on quality criteria. The results are based on the research conducted in professional associations in defined fields (insurance and theatre).Originality/value - this is the first study that adopts the benchmarking models for measuring quality criteria and readiness for mutual comparison in insurance and theatre industries in Latvia. Keywords: quality, benchmarking, quality measurement, criteria of quality Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 385-390 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020385 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020385.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020385.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0051.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020385 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helena Šenkeříková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Jana Stehlíková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Lucie Špačková Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav managementu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Selected characteristics of the wholefood market Abstract: The paper deals with characteristics of branch with products of ecological agriculture in Czech Republic. Present state of crop and animal production on ecological farms is analyzed. Paper is also focused on analysing distribution channels of organic products.To the most often manufactured organic products belong according to dominate activities of producers meat processing, producing bake, confectioner and other floury products (mainly fresh pastry), milk processing, production of dairy commodities and cheese and fruit and vegetables. In the last few years the number of wine manufacturer is rising. Second important category for development of market with organic products are distributors or subjects, who set afloat wholefood or organic products including import and export without whatever further processing.In terms of marketed organic products and wholefood, sale of animal organic products dominates above crop. In terms of sharing main categories of ecologicaly cropped growns in the Czech Republic, the biggest share have legumes processed for corns and vegetables. The most important category in ecological agriculture in animal production is explicitly beef-raising.In comparison with the end of 2008 number of wholefood producers increased up of 14 percents, which means retardation in comparison with the growth between the years 2007 and 2008. Leading position on the market with offered wholefood has the drug-store chain dm. It offered more than 488 organic products in September 2010. With a big distance Globus follows this drug-store chain with 341 organic products and then are all nets of hypermarkets.According to the shares of particular suppliers dm drug-store market is found on the top, which supplies its shops with wholefood of german producer Alnatura. In the second place there is the company Pro-bio and in the third place is the supplier of infantile nutrition HiPP Czech.One possibility for launching organic products into the market are very favorite so called suppliers' packets (in Czech Republic the term boxes is used). Consumers can order fresh fruit and vegetables directly by the producer on his web sites. The producer packs the packet according to the consumers' needs and he supplies it once a week to the consumer's home or to another address. The producers, who offer these supplier packets, supplement their offer of exotic fruits or products of their partner producers, for making their offer more attractive. The highest demand of boxes is in big cities. Keywords: ecological agriculture, bioproduct, farm Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 393-398 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020393 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020393.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020393.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0052.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020393 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jakub Tabas Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Michaela Beranová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Author-Name: Josef Polák Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav podnikové ekonomiky, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: Classifications of innovations: approaches and consequences Abstract: Currently, innovations are perceived as a life blood of businesses. The inevitable fact is that even if the innovations have a potential to transform the companies or all the industries, the innovations are high risky. Even though, the second fact is that in order to companies' development and their survival on the markets, the innovations have become the necessity.In the theory, it is rather difficult to find a comprehensive definition of innovation, and to settle down a general definition of innovation becomes more and more difficult with the growing number of domains where the innovations, or possible innovations start to appear in a form of added value to something that already exist. Definition of innovation has come through a long process of development; from early definition of Schumpeter who has connected innovation especially with changes in products or production processes, to recent definitions based on the added value for a society. One of possible approaches to define the content of innovation is to base the definition on classification of innovation.In the article, the authors provide the analysis of existing classifications of innovations in order to find, respectively in order to define the general content of innovation that would confirm (or reject) their definition of innovation derived in the frame of their previous work where they state that innovation is a change that leads to gaining profit for an individual, for business entity, or for society, while the profit is not only the accounting one, but it is the economic profit.The article is based especially on the secondary research while the authors employ the method of analysis with the aim to confront various classification-based definitions of innovation. Then the methods used are especially comparison, analysis and synthesis. Keywords: added value, classification of innovations, competitive advantage, definition of innovation, innovation Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 399-406 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020399 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020399.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020399.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0053.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020399 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ida Vajčnerová Author-Workplace-Name: Ústav marketingu a obchodu, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika Title: IQM of a tourism destination as a tool of competitiveness Abstract: As the example above shows, the tourists' satisfaction level from staying at destination depends not only on their experience on specific tourist services, but also or more intangible factors, for example hospitality, safety and security, and cleanliness. The success of a destination is therefore a function of many independent components. It underscores the need for an integrated approach to managing the quality of tourist destination. The objective of the article is to specify the preconditions of a destination for implementing Integrated quality management (IMQ) and to demonstrate the possibilities for using the methodological approaches of the Qualitest tool in the tourist destination of Znojemsko and Podyjí. The obtained results show problematic utilization of Qualitest in full extent and the necessity to modify it for its use in the conditions of the Czech Republic destinations. Keywords: Integrated quality management (IMQ), tourism destination, Qualitest Journal: Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis Pages: 407-412 Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Year: 2011 DOI: 10.11118/actaun201159020407 File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020407.html File-Format: text/html File-URL: http://acta.mendelu.cz/doi/10.11118/actaun201159020407.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf X-File-Ref: http://acta.mendelu.cz/RePEc/mup/references/acu-201102-0054.txt Handle: RePEc:mup:actaun:actaun_2011059020407