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The way of consumerism in the interwar Czechoslovakia nn the example of consumption of coffee, cocoa, chocolate and tea.
Syrová, Tereza ; Jakubec, Ivan (advisor) ; Jančík, Drahomír (referee) ; Štemberk, Jan (referee)
Dissertation thesis discusses the consumption of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate in the interwar period in the Czechoslovakia. On the basis of statistical data and examination of archival sources comes with the definition of the middle classes of the population, which those commodities consumed. The thesis shows the distribution of consumption of commodities based on the survey in blue-collar and white-collar families. Furthermore provides insight into the lives of families, distribution of their spending and the size of income. It refers to the representation of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate in the consumer basket and shows the elasticity of the mentioned commodities. For the central part of the research of the dissertation thesis chose the Czech territory only, because here were without difficulty accessible data sources. The Dissertation thesis clarifies the causes of consuming cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate and concludes that each was consumed from another purpose, which resulted status of these commodities. Tea consumption has been designed especially for the higher classes of the population, chocolate bought mostly white-collar family, but over twenties speared consumption of chocolate products also among the middle and lower classes into the population. The chocolate products were subject to early 20s of the luxury tax. Cocoa was used in connection with cooking and baking, but families didnt use this product frequently. Coffee drank all layers of the population, but consumption was based on the social status of the consumer. Very frequently families consume rye coffee and chicory coffee. Dissertation thesis also highlights the regional differences between the classes, which were further intensified. Thesis examines in detail the amount of the duties of the commodity, which in the interwar period varied widely, and concludes that the duty to disproportionately increase the price of products and made it impossible for consumers to buy more of cocoa, coffee, tea and chocolate.
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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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Multimedia communication
Vondra, Zdeněk ; Horný, Stanislav (advisor) ; Skrbek, Jan (referee) ; Jurášková, Olga (referee)
Multimedia is a form of communication and sharing knowledge using synergic effect of parallel connected communication channels. Its main use is in producing communications products and services and in design of user interfaces. Main objective of this dissertation is to develop and create a model of multimedia communication for better understanding of the meaning and the purpose of using multimedia forms in communication process. The model will describe a system of elements and parameters of multimedia communication within the internal and external context. Another objective of this dissertation is to develop multimedia communication methodology that will be used for the design, development and evaluations of concepts of multimedia communication. The methodology will be created by applying the model of multimedia communication into the procedure structure. In theoretical way this dissertation is based on analysis of different definitions and approaches to the multimedia communications topic. This is followed by an analysis of communication theories, concepts of media, multimedia, delivery channels, and communication functions. The theoretical part is followed by the outcomes of the research in practice of four different fields of multimedia use. The knowledge gained is analyzed in the following parts in purpose of creating the model of multimedia communication and the methodology which is derived from the model. The methodology is further validated through case studies and the recommendations for further development are formulated. The model and the methodology of multimedia communication created in this dissertation present complex view on multimedia communication topic that is considered as a useful tool for meeting a specific communication purpose. Dissertation provides mechanics for use and study of multimedia communication and also defines the opportunities for further development of the methodology.
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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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Motivation and evaluation of empolyees
Sinkulová, Anna ; Legnerová, Kateřina (advisor) ; Šmíd, David (referee)
My bachelor thesis is focused on motivation and assessment of employees in the company. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the influence of team building and benefits on employees' motivation. Literature based theoretical part of my thesis describes and investigates the real meaning and purpose of motivation and basic motivational concepts. Furthermore, I outlined the basics behind employee benefits, team building and also stated the current given trends in these areas. The practical part is focused on benefit and workplace research and their impact on the general motivation to work and the relations between the employees of the Czechoslovak Commercial Bank (ČSOB). In order to collect the best results, I used the method of questionnaires. Respondents were asked to answer questions considering their satisfaction with the system of employee benefits and the importance of teamwork. Based on the survey results I propose certain changes that should lead to motivation improvement and better job performance.
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Fulfilling the criteria for saturation of the patient's needs
ŠTOKROVÁ, Veronika
The thesis deals with the realization of the criteria for saturation of the patient's needs. In the current system of nursing care, the principles of modern nursing are failing to realize and therefore we want to find out the main obstacles of this situation and the possibilities of their removal. For the purpose of the thesis there were set three objectives. The first of them has set the objective of finding out the most common problems in meeting the criteria for saturation of the patient's needs. The research showed that the nurses see the problem in a lack of staff at the wards, a lack of time, excess of documentation, excessive demands for nurses. The purpose of the second objective was to find out what supports the realization of the criteria for saturation of the patient's needs. Results have shown that what helps nurses is a positive work environment, motivation, nurse´s personality, own scale of values, salary, good leadership, organization, nursing care. The third objective was to find out the opinion of nurses on meeting the criteria for saturation of the patient's needs. It turned out that the majority of respondents think that nurses do not effectively satisfy all the needs of patients for a number of reasons: there are few nurses and they are overloaded, the nurses do their best but still cannot satisfy all the patients´ needs. We also found out that the higher patients´ needs are omitted. Less than a third of the nurses indicated that nurses effectively meet all the patients´ needs. For the qualitative part of the research, we set two research questions in advance. Which criteria nurses use in patients´ needs saturation? The research showed that time, which is very valuable for nurses and very often is in short supply, is an important criteria for the saturation of the patient's needs. Furthermore, it is knowledge and manual dexterity when nurses additionally reported a lack of education of some nurses especially within the nursing process. As the next criteria, it was mentioned the cooperation with the patient as it is necessary to engage patient himself in care planning. The next criteria is monitoring of the patient´s response, which is included in every phase of the nursing process. Furthermore, the nurses agreed on criteria, which include communication as a key skill of every nurse, then individual care, a suitable environment and utilities, education, critical thinking, effective nursing process and empathy. The second research question tried to find out which obstacles prevent nurses in effective saturation of the patients´ needs. We found out that nurses are concerned about a lack of staff at wards and the excess of administrative load, which is related to a lack of time for patients. These three factors are also obstacles for nurses and prevent them from effective satisfying of the patients´ needs. The next obstacles in satisfying the needs are burnout, reluctance of nurses to work, excessive demands for nurses, poor workplace relationships, a lack of evaluation both in a form of praise and appreciation, and finance. We also found a lack of information, which is related to a lack of time, as nurses do not have a chance to collect all the information concerning the patient. As another possible obstacle, nurses also mentioned personal problems. The results of the thesis can be used as a small contribution to currently ongoing effort of the Czech Association of Nurses.
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Consumers protection during the process of contracting
Kakáčková, Tereza ; Švarc, Zbyněk (advisor) ; Kříž, Radim (referee)
The main purpose of diploma thesis - Consumers protection during the process of contracting - was to analyze the consumer protection legislation at national level and European level. Thesis deals with consumers protection during the process of contracting in Czech Republic with closer focus on distance contracts and off-premises contracts. The general part of thesis provides a comprehensive insight into the private, public and European regulation of consumer law, as well as it summarizes basic concepts and consumer contracts more in detail. Two chapters of the general part are devoted to the distance contracts and to the off-premises contracts. Analytical part of thesis is based on quantitative research made by me. These results are compared with the results of two European surveys (Eurobarometers). The aim of the research was to define the attitude of Czech consumers to the consumer law, protection of the consumer rights and also find out more about their approach within the distance contracts.
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The Position of Chile in International Tourism
Beňadiková, Jana ; Valentová, Jana (advisor) ; Dragula, Ladislav (referee)
This diploma thesis analyses the position of Chile in international tourism. The main purpose is to evaluate Chile´s status in international tourism based on the competitiveness of the country. At the begining of the thesis, the theory is defined. Then, the economy and political backgroud of Chile is specified, followed by the description of the preconditions for tourism development and its competitiveness in the tourism industry. Moreover, inbound, outbound and domestic tourism are analysed and followed by tourism impact on the economy of the country. Last chapter predicts future development of international arrivals to the country based on the regression analysis.
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The Conclusion of a Contract under the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods in Comparison with Czech National Legislation
Krčálová, Kristýna ; Boháček, Martin (advisor) ; Levý, Jan (referee)
This Master's thesis focuses on the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG), better known as the Vienna Convention. The main purpose of this thesis is to evaluate conditions for application of this international treaty and to assess the contracting process under the CISG including the similarities and differences with the Czech national legislation. Finally, it seeks an answer to the question, which of these rules (international or national) are more advantageous for a Czech contractual party with respect to concluding a contract. The thesis is divided into five parts. The first one represents an introduction to the CISG, its origin and the Czech Republic's attitude to it. The second part identifies the conditions for application of the CISG and therefore defines a subject and an object of an international contract of sale under the CISG. Both third and fourth parts gradually introduce two phases of the contracting process (offer and acceptance) including the relevant case-law. The last chapter strives to complete the contracting process with an analysis of the exact moment, when a contract is concluded, as well as with an analysis of a potential battle of the forms and its impact on a contract conclusion.
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