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Clustering and regression analysis of micro panel data
Sobíšek, Lukáš ; Pecáková, Iva (advisor) ; Komárek, Arnošt (referee) ; Brabec, Marek (referee)
The main purpose of panel studies is to analyze changes in values of studied variables over time. In micro panel research, a large number of elements are periodically observed within the relatively short time period of just a few years. Moreover, the number of repeated measurements is small. This dissertation deals with contemporary approaches to the regression and the clustering analysis of micro panel data. One of the approaches to the micro panel analysis is to use multivariate statistical models originally designed for crosssectional data and modify them in order to take into account the within-subject correlation. The thesis summarizes available tools for the regression analysis of micro panel data. The known and currently used linear mixed effects models for a normally distributed dependent variable are recapitulated. Besides that, new approaches for analysis of a response variable with other than normal distribution are presented. These approaches include the generalized marginal linear model, the generalized linear mixed effects model and the Bayesian modelling approach. In addition to describing the aforementioned models, the paper also includes a brief overview of their implementation in the R software. The difficulty with the regression models adjusted for micro panel data is the ambiguity of their parameters estimation. This thesis proposes a way to improve the estimations through the cluster analysis. For this reason, the thesis also contains a description of methods of the cluster analysis of micro panel data. Because supply of the methods is limited, the main goal of this paper is to devise its own two-step approach for clustering micro panel data. In the first step, the panel data are transformed into a static form using a set of proposed characteristics of dynamics. These characteristics represent different features of time course of the observed variables. In the second step, the elements are clustered by conventional spatial clustering techniques (agglomerative clustering and the C-means partitioning). The clustering is based on a dissimilarity matrix of the values of clustering variables calculated in the first step. Another goal of this paper is to find out whether the suggested procedure leads to an improvement in quality of the regression models for this type of data. By means of a simulation study, the procedure drafted herein is compared to the procedure applied in the kml package of the R software, as well as to the clustering characteristics proposed by Urso (2004). The simulation study demonstrated better results of the proposed combination of clustering variables as compared to the other combinations currently used. A corresponding script written in the R-language represents another benefit of this paper. It is available on the attached CD and it can be used for analyses of readers own micro panel data.
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Use of Interest Rate Models for Interest Rate Risk Management in the Czech Financial Market Environment
Cíchová Králová, Dana ; Arlt, Josef (advisor) ; Cipra, Tomáš (referee) ; Witzany, Jiří (referee)
The main goal of this thesis is to suggest an appropriate approach to interest rate risk modeling in the Czech financial market environment in various situations. Three distinct periods are analyzed. These periods, which are the period before the global financial crisis, period during the financial crisis and in the aftermath of the global financial crisis and calming subsequent debt crisis in the eurozone, are characterized by different evaluation of liquidity and credit risk, different relationship between financial variables and market participants and different degree of market regulations. Within this goal, an application of the BGM model in the Czech financial market environment is crucial. Use of the BGM model for the purpose of predicting a dynamics of a yield curve is not very common. This is firstly due to the fact that primary use of this model is a valuation of interest rate derivatives while ensuring the absence of arbitrage and secondly its application is relatively difficult. Nevertheless, I apply the BGM model to obtain predictions of the probability distributions of interest rates in the Czech and eurozone market environment, because its complexity, direct modeling of a yield curve based on market rates and especially a possibility of parameter estimation based on current swaptions volatilities quotations may lead to a significant improvement of predictions. This improvement was also confirmed in this thesis. Use of swaptions volatilities market quotations is especially useful in the period of unprecedented mone- tary easing and increased number of central banks and other regulators interventions into financial markets that occur after the financial crisis, because it reflects current market expectations which also include future interventions. As a consequence of underdevelopment of the Czech financial market there are no market quotations of Czech koruna denominated swaptions volatilities. I suggest their approximations based on quotations of euro denominated swaptions volatilities and also using volatilities of koruna and euro forward rates. Use of this approach ensures that predictions of the Czech yield curve dynamics contain current market expectations. To my knowledge, any other author has not presented similar application of the BGM model in the Czech financial market environment. In this thesis I further predict a Czech and Euro area money market yield curve dynamics using the CIR and the GP models as representatives of various types of interest rates models to compare these predictions with BGM predictions. I suggest a comprehensive system of three criteria, based on comparison of predicti- ons with reality, to describe a predictive power of selected models and an appropria- teness of their use in the Czech market environment during different situations in the market. This analysis shows that predictions of the Czech money market yield curve dynamics based on the BGM model demonstrate high predictive power and the best 8 quality in comparison with other models. GP model also produces relatively good qua- lity predictions. Conversely, predictions based on the CIR model as a representative of short rate model family completely failed when describing reality. In a situation when the economy allows negative rates and there is simultaneously a significant likelihood of their implementation, I recommend to obtain predictions of Czech money market yield curve dynamics using GP model which allows existence of negative interest rates. This analysis also contains a statistical test for validating the predictive power of each model and information on other tests. Berkowitz test rejects a hypothesis of accurate predictions for each model. However, this fact is common in real data testing even when using relatively good model. This fact is especially caused by difficult fulfilment of test conditions in real world. To my knowledge, such an analysis of the predictive power of selected interest rate models moreover in the Czech financial market environment has not been published yet. The last goal of this thesis is to suggest an appropriate approach to obtaining pre- dictions of Czech government bonds risk premium dynamics. I define this risk premium as a difference between government bond yields and fixed rate of CZK IRS with the same length. I apply the GP model to describe the dynamics of this indicator of the Czech Republic credit risk. In order to obtain a time series of the risk premium which are necessary for estimation of GP model parameters I firstly estimate yield curves of Czech government bonds using Svensson model for each trading day since 2005. Resulting si- mulations of risk premium show that the GP model predicts the real development of risk premiums of all maturities relatively well. Hence, the proposed approach is suitable for modeling of Czech Republic credit risk based on the use of information extracted from financial markets. I have not registered proposed approach to risk premium modeling moreover in the Czech financial market environment in other publications.
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Differences between men and women in the Czech labour market
Stroukal, Dominik ; Kadeřábková, Božena (advisor) ; Pavelka, Tomáš (referee) ; Němec, Otakar (referee)
This thesis consists of five articles that apply current world research on labor economics at the Czech Republic and confirms the significant differences between men and women in this market. It shows that gender has a significant influence on the preference on the labor market and, consequently, on employment and health. First, the thesis shows that preferences are relevant determinant of career and then we study the difference in preference of salary for men and women. Subsequently it shows that gender plays a significant role in explaining the relationship between homeownership, and unemployment, as well as unemployment and health. The first chapter was able to demonstrate that the preference for a career has a positive influence on the choice of career. The influence of higher education on prioritizing career proved to be positive and significant. Probability of a career choice is reduced by the presence of children, however, is not dependent on their number, which is contrary to the theory of preferences. The second chapter shows that Czech women prefer more non-monetary rewards than men. It has also been shown that people with university education are same in the preferences of non-monetary rewards regardless of the gender of the respondents, however, compared to the world's research, the Czech higher education increases this preference. It turned out that women prefer risk less than men. The third chapter demonstrates that although the housing market undermines labor mobility and employment in the Czech Republic at the regional level, therefore, that in regions with a higher rate of home ownership is higher unemployment, at the individual level, the owners of housing are unemployed are less likely. The estimates are significantly different for men and women. Men living in owner-occupied housing have a higher likelihood of employment than women. At regional level, however, this thesis shows that the high rate of home ownership increases unemployment for both men and women, in the long run only to women. The fourth chapter showed that men transition to homeownership reduces the likelihood of unemployment next year. For women, this relationship has proved to be insignificant. In addition, as insignificant showed the opposite relationship, the transition from unemployment to the newly acquired home ownership. The last chapter shows that the change in the working status to unemployment will increase in the future probability of worse health. Influence in less than two years, however, proved to be significant. An important conclusion is that men have a significantly stronger relationship between health and unemployment than women.
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Building and using small computer networks
Borecký, Jiří ; Pinkas, Otakar (advisor) ; Šmejkal, Ivo (referee)
This thesis deals with the construction and use of smaller computer networks. To build a better and more efficient computer network was used corporate network of parents, which is mainly used for the operation of accounting. The input information was used for generating analysis of the current state of the computer network. Additionally makes a proposal, which leads to improvement of the computer network and then testing whether the proposal was successful.
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The impact of South China Sea dispute on trade relations between China and Vietnam
Nguyen Hong, Viet ; Vlčková, Jana (advisor) ; Hasík, Gabriel (referee)
This bachelor thesis investigates the impact of South China Sea dispute on mutual relations between China and Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Thesis lays great emphasis on the analysis of mutual trading relations. The goal of this work is to find out if the dispute over territory has negative influence on mutual relations and to what extent. Therefore, thesis is divided into 3 main chapters. The introductory chapter describes position and development of each country. Second chapter uses findings from the introductory part for the analysis of political and trade relations of both countries. It focuses on the history of mutual relations and mainly it lays emphasis on current mutual relations. Last chapter of the thesis is dedicated to the issues regarding South China Sea. Motives and causes of this dispute are described in this chapter. It provides a view on the course of this territorial dispute, and also impacts on mutual relations are analyzed. The output of all three chapters helps to formulate following conclusion. Dispute over South China Sea has impact on mutual relations. Predominantly, it influences political relations between China and Vietnam, therefore, this dispute is often mentioned in media. However, according to available data this dispute has not had major effect on trading relations. Mutual trading between both countries went off in dispute period without any limitations and barriers.
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Support for Nurses in Death Cases at Resuscitation Units and Intensive Care Units
LAYEROVÁ, Helena
At Resuscitation Units and Intensive Care Units nurses face the issue of dying and death every day. Very often they are in contact with the dying and their immediate family and they are expected to have professional approach and provide comprehensive care. Stress that the nurses experience in these situations results into mental, emotional and physical exhaustion, and can be manifested by psychosomatic problems. Preparation of nurses to these situations and support of their management is therefore a key factor for the management of this demanding profession. The theoretical part of the thesis contains a description of the current state of the issue, characterizes resuscitation and intensive care, and deals with the issue of death and dying in Resuscitation Units nad Intensive Care Units, managing situations associated with death and the support of nurses in these situations. The work has four goals. The first objective is to determine what method of preparation of nurses is in practice ensured in Resuscitation Units and Intensive Care Units for the performance of high-quality nursing care for dying patients. Another objective is to determine whether and how the nurses are prepared and trained in the field of management of situations connected with the death of a patient in Resuscitation Units and Intensive Care Units. The third objective is, whether there is and what is the form of assistance to nurses in RU and ICU provided by the team and the management of the Department in case of deaths of patients, and the fourth objective is to determine what form and manner of support nurses expect and require. Research part of the thesis was carried out by quantitative investigation using an anonymous questionnaire. Respondents were answering 38 questions, 13 questions were closed, 21 half open and 4 were open. The support is most frequently understood as a psychological support, good teamwork, communication, supervision and representation where necessary. Management is expected primarily to provide support through education, ensuring supervision, corresponding financial support and professional psychological assistance where necessary. On the basis of this work?s results a proposal for the course for paramedical professions working in RS and ICU called ?Course of the Strategy of Difficult Situations Management in the Care for the Dying and Their Close Family in Intensive and Urgent Care?, was made.
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The capacity of the European Union to form a common foreign policy: The approach towards Russia during the crisis in Ukraine
Grycová, Adéla ; Rolenc, Jan Martin (advisor) ; Cibulková, Petra (referee)
The thesis deals with the issues of framing and europeanization of the foreign policy of the European Union in the context of an actorness of the EU. These two theoretical concepts are applied on the case of an approach of the Czech Republic and European Union towards Russian Federation during the crisis in Ukraine. The aim of this thesis is to find out if the European Union is capabble of affecting the behaviour of a member state in order to create unified and operational foreign policy. The first chapter deals with teoretical definition of the two concepts and detailed description of the stances of Czech Republic and European Union follows in the second one. On the basis of these chapters the assessment is conducted. The last part firstly concludes if any attempt of influecing is present and secondly the success rate of the attempt is evaluated.
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Analysis of the company environment
Hladík, Ondřej ; Dvořáček, Jiří (advisor) ; Strouhal, Jiří (referee)
This bachelor thesis deals with methods of analysing the company environment and then using these methods on a company Travel Service, a.s. The primary purpose is to determine main factors affecting the market position of this company. Methods used for analyzing the company environment are introduced in theoretical part of the thesis. For analysing the macroenvironment is used PEST analysis and Porter five force model is used for analysing the critical factors of macroenvironment. The thesis include SWOT analysis and recommendations for the company based on the collected informations.
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World Trade in Crude Oil
Benešová, Nela ; Čajka, Radek (advisor) ; Bolotov, Ilya (referee)
This master´s thesis deals with trade with crude oil and its impact on the world economy. Everyone, who wants to start to trade with crude oil, should find out basic terminology and information about crude oil that is characterized in the first chapter. The hunt for oil started many years ago, therefore the history is also mentioned in this master´s thesis. The second chapter focuses on the world trade with crude oil. Territorial structure and trade flows are described in this part of the master´s thesis. Nevertheless, the crude oil also has an impact on the world economy and economies of single states. The third chapter analyses states, where the inhabitants live beyond means of people from other countries but these states are so depended on crude oil that if this trade stopped, these countries would go bankrupt. However, there are also exceptions. Even though, there are states that have huge sources of crude oil, they still have to deal with financial problems. The forth chapter characterizes the trade with crude oil of the Czech Republic because it is a net importer of crude oil and the last chapter focuses on new trends in crude oil such as shale oil and trading at a crude oil market.
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Demonstrate the principles of application development for Android on the example of a simple game
Tatoušek, Petr ; Pecinovský, Rudolf (advisor) ; Oraný, Vladimír (referee)
Demonstration of the Android application development principles explained on a simple game is a thesis describing in it's theoretical part Android OS. It also briefly describes it's history and especially it's architecture emphasizing on my thesis' part relevant to the practi-cal part of my dissertation. It also focuses on the general applications' architecture princi-ples for this operating system. In the practical part of the thesis I tend to describe the application development principles for Android OS. This is achieved on an sample application. This sample application is an implementation of a text-based adventure game in the Java language. It uses SQLite data-base for storing the game data. There is a game framework which enables entering diffe-rent game data to the database and thus playing different games with divergent game plays.
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