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Over-indebtedness in the Czech Republic: Problem Analysis and Policy Alternatives
Řezáčová, Lucie ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Čabanová, Bohumila (referee)
The thesis "Over-Indebtedness in the Czech Republic: Problem Analysis and Policy Alternatives" deals with the issue of over-indebtedness of households with regards to consumer loans, specifically in the Czech Republic. Over-indebtedness is currently a very real and serious issue. The author attempts to tackle what is a relatively complex issue. The objective of the thesis is to demonstrate that over-indebtedness is a significant problem and analyse the myriad factors that contribute to it. Finally, possible solutions to the problem are explored. The author exhibits a variety of data to measure over-indebtedness in addition to determining the various causes, namely individual economic factors, such as sudden unemployment, and financial imprudence, which can be attributed to individual psychology or low financial literacy. Additionally, the unfair and even loan-sharking practices adopted by some loan providers and brokers along with the problematic process of debt enforcement, which contribute to over-indebtedness are described in detail. Based on the identified drivers, the thesis proposes specific tools to address the problem, with particular emphasis on regulating providers, and analyses their advantages and disadvantages. Further to the regulatory instruments, the thesis also stresses the need to...
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Social Services in the Czech Republic and the Role of Public Institutions in their Provision
Bareš, Pavel ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Kozlová, Lucie (referee) ; Matoušek, Oldřich (referee)
BAREŠ, P. 2013. Social Services in the Czech Republic and the Role of Public Institutions in their Provision. Doctoral Thesis. Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Science, Institute of Sociological Studies: Prague. Key words: Czech Republic, municipalities, non-governmental organisations, providers of social services, public administration, public policy, regions, social services, state Abstract: Social services should be perceived as important instrument of the system of social protection in the Czech Republic. The extent of provision of social services by organisation representing different institutional sectors should be considered as key characteristics of this system. Two main groups of organisations should be distinguished in this regard primarily - public and private organisations. However both these broad categories consist of different subjects: state, regional or municipal organisations in the first case and for-profit organisations, entrepreneurs, social enterprises or non-profit organisations in the second. The primary aim of the thesis is to analyse the extent of provision of social services by public organisations (all above mentioned types), however the provision of social services by private organisations has been analysed as well, because this question is complementary to the...
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The growing indebtedness of Czech households: a case study of single mothers
Bucharová, Hana ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Hejzlarová, Eva (referee)
The thesis "the growing indebtedness of Czech households: a case study of single mothers" deals with the issue of indebtedness of Czech households with a focus on single mother's debt. This is a topic not too popular, but in this time of increasing household debt is still very topical. The primary objective of this study is to determine what are the causes of indebtedness of single-parent families (single mothers). In addition, determine whether it is appropriate to deal with the problem in general or specifically focusing on a particular group. Finally, the author deals with the topic of social networks, which may or may not have an effect on the debt ratio of the selected groups of people, and also focuses on finding, if enough of the non-profit organizations that can help single mothers complex living situation. The author uses to fulfill the aforementioned objectives analysis of documents, analysis of the relevant legal framework, in particular, of law No 182/2006 Coll. on bankruptcy and the ways of its solution, further analysis of the service and consultancy activities relating to the non-profit sector, the analysis of technical articles from abroad (for inspiration this solution in the Czech Republic) and finally carries out qualitative half structured interviews with the actresses and also with the...
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Czech apprenticeship at a crossroads
Knedla, Dalibor ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Mouralová, Magdalena (referee)
Diploma thesis "Czech apprenticeship at a crossroads" deals with the controversial topic of apprenticeship. Thesis is based on theoretical concepts of educational reproduction, positive functions of diversified educational systems, lifelong learning and problem delimitation in public policy. It brings the international perspective viewpoint and identifies strengths and weaknesses of different systems. Author looks into causes and consequences of negative phenomena while trying to understand different positions of employers and apprentices. Key areas are based on the delimited problem. These areas are: sole system of vocational education, which favors students with higher socioeconomic background; career guidance field, whose role in the process of decision making of students entering apprenticeship is small; the area of cooperation with social partners, which is crucial in enhancing the quality of apprenticeship. Author introduces possible ways of political change in these areas. Keywords Apprenticeship, vocational programme, public policy stakeholders, problem delimitation, unemployment, labour market, educational reproduction
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Financial literacy as a tool for reducing the debt overburden of the Czech households
Zítková, Michaela ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Kohoutek, Jan (referee)
In current time we experience deeper and deeper indebtedness of Czech households and their deterioration into insolvency on one side, on the other side among Czech population was identified a very low rate of financial literacy in the last few years. As a result of these two findings a hypothesis was created that behind the high indebtedness stands the low financial literacy of population and that it is possible to fight indebtedness by increasing financial literacy. The thesis main target is to analyze approach of Czech Republic to financial literacy, particularly as to a tool of prevention of indebtedness of households. Simultaneously its target is to reveal relation between financial literacy and indebtedness. According to these reasons the thesis is based on several theoretical outcomes - the theory of prevention of risky behavior, the theory of financial education as a prevention from hazard and from the theory of implementation as a part of public policy cycle. Examined problem is defined using analysis of indebtedness of Czech households, determines the occasions and results of this risky behavior; and through delimitation issue of financial literacy. Thesis provides a synthesis of knowledge as options and limits of financial literacy in the fight with increasing indebtedness. Empirical part...
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Long Night's Journey into Day: Implementation of Czech Policy on Higher Education Quality Assurance
Kohoutek, Jan ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Stensaker, Bjorn (referee) ; Štech, Stanislav (referee) ; Šebková, Helena (referee)
This doctoral thesis takes up the theme of policy implementation in higher education. More specifically, the thesis aims to analyse the implementation of Czech system-level policy on higher education quality assurance in the period from 1990 until 2010. This policy is analysed through the implementation instruments: accreditation, the Higher Education Development Fund, the Development Programmes, and the platform for dissemination of examples of good practice. The conceptual framework guiding the enquiry combines insights from the policyaction continuum concept, the instrumental approach to policy implementation, including Vedung's typology of policy instruments, and Actor-Centred Institutionalism. The enquiry undertaken in the thesis attests to the theoretical and empirical obsoleteness of the Cerych and Sabatier framework, traditionally used in analysing higher education policy implementation. Furthermore, the enquiry identifies the stick-carrot-sermon instrument set-up as a distinct implementation style. As a result of the enquiry, several shortcomings are identified that limit the utilisation of the four implementation instruments, and recommendations are formulated on how to ameliorate them in policy practice.
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Cooperation of schools and external partners on the development of environmental awareness among students
Frýblová, Jitka ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Hiekischová, Michaela (referee)
This master thesis is concerned with current issues of educational politics, namely the integration of environmental aspects into the curriculums of grammar schools and high schools. Environmental education, and awareness raising has appeared in schools following the introduction of the framework education programme as one of its cross-curricular subjects, reflecting new social needs. While there lies a great potential for the development of our education system within cross-curricular subjects and framework education programmes, these also introduce new requirements for teachers, who are not always quite prepared for dealing with them. The introduction of external partners into education is one possible way of dealing with those requirements, as these external partners have many years of experience with ecology oriented education programmes and their methodical specifics. The presented master thesis familiarizes the reader with the individual forms of cooperation among schools and external partners and tries to generalize its pros and cons and outline the possibility of engaging external educational partners in teaching subjects other than environmental education. The paper deals with a multidisciplinary topic in which the findings of public policy, pedagogy, ethics and ecology intertwine. The...
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Lone-parent families as a public policy problem: stakeholders' frame reflection and reframing
Hejzlarová, Eva ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Krebs, Vojtěch (referee) ; Matoušek, Oldřich (referee) ; Žižková, Jana (referee)
The main theme of the work is finding an answer to the question why in the past years Czech Parliament has failed to enforce measures improving the quality of life of lone-parent families, and what could be done for these measures to be adopted. Theoretical support for answering both questions is provided by a) frame analysis (Schőn and Rein), which works with the idea of conflicting frames and bridging conflicts through reframing, and b) the theory of social construction of target groups (Schneider and Ingram). Based on an analysis of stenographic minutes from proceedings dealing with the issue of non-payment of child support (in particular with proposals for the state to pay child support first and then to receive it from the obligor) and the arrangements connected to child custody (in particular the proposal to strengthen alternating custody), conflicting frames are reconstructed (in the case of non-payment, there are three conflicting frames, in the case of child custody two). These conflicting frames, or rather the fact that they are insufficiently addressed, may be the cause of the incapacity of Czech political representation to address the above agenda. An "efficient penalizing of the debtor" is described as a possible reframing of the problem in the field of non-payment of child support....
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Low-threshold facilities as a tool for integration of youths at risk
Mikšovská, Kateřina ; Veselý, Arnošt (advisor) ; Kalvas, František (referee)
Bachelor's thesis concentrates on low threshold facilties as a means of integration of youth at risk to society. The author defines the terms youth and youth at risk, concentrates on integration of youth to society and defines roma youth as a specific group inside our society with specific needs.She describes the history of these facilities in Czech republic, similiar institutions from abroad and their experience, the definition and principles of institutions that are low threshold and the legislative basis in the system of social services. In the practical part of this thesis, the author describes similarities and differences between opinions on the functionality of low threshold facilites among their workers and clients. She concentrates on two concrete clubs where she realizes a case study. The main differences are shown by ethnic divergences of the target group of clubs. In one of the clubs there are only Roma. One of the differences were favorite activities of clients in the club. For Roma's youth, it was mainly dancing, playing instruments, as well as tutoring. For the majority youth then spending time on computer. Likewise, the main reason why Roma youth visited club, was for tutoring.For the representative of the majority population, it was boring. Workers differed in opinion on the main objectives...
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