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Human Rights in the Value Chain of the Fashion Industry from the Perspective of a French Producer and Consumer
PELOVÁ, Simona
The thesis will present the issue of human rights in business and their respect in value chains, specifically in the fashion industry in France. Attention will be focused on international and national (French) legislation and standards related to this matter. The thesis will include a case study focusing on the corporate environment (analysis of non-financial reports of selected French companies). Through a questionnaire survey, the sustainability of the purchasing behaviour of Generation Z, representing a significant purchasing power in the fashion market, will be analysed. The thesis will conclude with recommendations for companies regarding the purchasing preferences of Generation Z in relation to the ethical sustainability of fashion products.
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The role of state governance in GVCs - the example of the globalization of the Czech automotive industry after the 1990s
Tian, Yu ; Svoboda, Karel (advisor) ; Nigrin, Tomáš (referee)
The dynamics of governance is one of the most active topics of debate in the GVC and global production network debate, yet attention on the subject of governance has been largely focused on TNCs, with less attention paid to the state and public governance aspects. In recent studies, the role of the state in GVC governance has received more attention, and following in-depth analyses some scholars have proposed three key governance functions: facilitative, regulatory and distributive. Against this background, this paper will analyze the history of the Czech automotive industry in the development of GVCs after 1990 and the role of the state in the automotive industry's participation in GVCs based on the theory of the three roles of the state in GVC governance: facilitator, regulator and distributor. Keywords National governance; global value chains; global production networks; Czech cars; political economy; privatisation
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Essays on the impact of technological change on economic structure
Pleticha, Petr ; Srholec, Martin (advisor) ; Bajgar, Matěj (referee) ; Goedhuys, Micheline (referee) ; Lábaj, Martin (referee)
Interní Essays on the Impact of Technological Change on Economic Structure Abstract This dissertation investigates the interplay between technological change and economic structure. Welcomed technological change sometimes brings changes to the structure of the economy which introduces not so welcomed economic frictions. On the other hand, economic structure can foster or hinder technological change. This thesis focuses mainly on structural changes such as R&D financing and global value chain (GVC) integration potentially translating into economic productivity. In Chapter 2, I show that business R&D spending exerts both direct and indirect positive effects on value added. Nevertheless, the heterogeneity of the returns to R&D has seldom been examined. Using detailed sectoral data from Czechia over the period 1995-2015, this study finds that privately funded business R&D has both direct and spillover effects, but that the publicly funded part of business R&D only leads to spillovers. The results further suggest that both upstream and downstream spillovers matter, regardless of the source of funding, and that during the period studied, R&D returns were heavily affected by the economic crisis. Lastly, private R&D offers significant returns only after reaching a critical mass, while the effects of public R&D...
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Is there a direct link between global value chain participation and economic growth? Analysis of EU member countries
Obšil, Tomáš ; Semerák, Vilém (advisor) ; Kábrt, Martin (referee)
This thesis studies the strength of correlation between Global value chain par- ticipation and economic growth in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Es- tonia, Poland, Austria, Germany, and Hungary from 1995 to 2018. This rela- tionship is demonstrated by using traditional panel data methods, with forward and backward GVC participation as our main explanatory variables and GDP per capita as our response variable. Based on the graphs and initial models, the variables seemed to be correlated; nevertheless, our analysis did not confirm this hypothesis. Furthermore, we use the total value added of the food, textile, and electronic industries as proxy variables for sectoral growth. We found, in most cases, a strong and significant correlation between the growth of these industries and BP and FP. JEL Classification B22, C33, E23, F41, F63, L60, O47, O52 Keywords global value chains, economic growth, central and eastern European countries, forward partic- ipation, backward participation Title Is there a direct link between global value chain participation and economic growth? Analysis of EU member countries.
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Transnational Corporations from Developing Countries and their Integration into the Globalization Process
Hinková, Lenka ; Novotný, Josef (advisor) ; Ženka, Jan (referee)
The main theme of this master's thesis is an effort to explain the integration of transnational corporations from developing countries into the economic globalization. Firstly, we define the main concepts, such as process of globalization and competition. Then, we specify the most important characteristics of transnational corporations from developing countries, we identify major incentives and strategies of their integration into the global competition, we also devote our attention to measurement of degree of their integration into the global economy and evaluate their main competitive advantages and disadvantages. In the analytical part of the work we use quantitative analysis in order to find the differences between transnational corporations from developing countries and their counterparts from developed countries in the transnationality index, diversification of industry and industrial sector in which these companies operate. The last part is focused on a case study of an Indian transnational conglomerate Tata Group. On this example we show the practical aspects of integration of transnational corporations from developing countries into the global economy.
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The Domestic value added of Czech exports, its increasing and the role of the state in this process
Král, Ondřej ; Hnát, Pavel (advisor) ; Neumann, Pavel (referee)
This thesis deals with the topic of The Domestic value added of Czech exports, its increasing and the role of the state in this process. The main focus is on the low domestic value added of the crucial Czech export industries that represent the core of the Czech economy. We examine the data based on TiVA methodology which is the joint OECD-WTO initiative coping with changing global trade relations. It captures not only the domestic value added but also the origin of the foreign value added embedded in domestic exports. In this context, we critically examine the low level of territorial diversification of Czech exports and outdated policies in these areas. According to the outcomes of the analysis, the Czech economy is pursuing the path from the status of a transition economy that follows foreign markets to an innovation-driven economy that shapes industries, creates new ones and specializes on activities with high value added in GVCs. The Czech Republic can become one of these innovative economies only if it reviews its comparative advantages and adopts sound policies.
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Global value chains after the Great Recession: main challenges for advanced and developing countries
Tsyrulnik, Alexandr ; Bolotov, Ilya (advisor) ; Černá, Iveta (referee)
The industrial revolution made great industrial powers out of North America and Western Europe. Hundred years after, ICT revolution and offshoring of production processes paved the way for intense economic growth of the developing countries. Following breakdown of the Soviet Bloc, market oriented reforms in China together with other circumstances have gradually changed balance of powers in favour of the developing world. However, developed economies have been keeping a competitive advantage consisting in activities associated with creativity and know-how, while the newly industrialized countries have been using mainly extensive growth model based on cheap labour and repetitive activities. These processes have been taking place across highly advanced and sophisticated global value chains. Our goal is to look deeply into the impact of the smiling curve and the evolution of the shares of value added for both developing and developed countries, before and after the Great Recession, across three industries: textile, electronics and automotive, and find out, whether developing countries are situated in a so-called low value added trap, in other words their shares for a longer period have either been stagnating or declining, while shares of developed countries have been constantly growing.
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Transnational Corporations from Developing Countries and their Integration into the Globalization Process
Hinková, Lenka ; Novotný, Josef (advisor) ; Ženka, Jan (referee)
The main theme of this master's thesis is an effort to explain the integration of transnational corporations from developing countries into the economic globalization. Firstly, we define the main concepts, such as process of globalization and competition. Then, we specify the most important characteristics of transnational corporations from developing countries, we identify major incentives and strategies of their integration into the global competition, we also devote our attention to measurement of degree of their integration into the global economy and evaluate their main competitive advantages and disadvantages. In the analytical part of the work we use quantitative analysis in order to find the differences between transnational corporations from developing countries and their counterparts from developed countries in the transnationality index, diversification of industry and industrial sector in which these companies operate. The last part is focused on a case study of an Indian transnational conglomerate Tata Group. On this example we show the practical aspects of integration of transnational corporations from developing countries into the global economy.
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Global value chains in the coffee industry focused on Vietnam
Klumparová, Adéla ; Vlčková, Jana (advisor) ; Hnát, Pavel (referee)
Aim of this diploma thesis is to describe functioning of global coffee value chains and this knowledge then apply to the coffee industry in Vietnam which serves as a case study. The introductory chapter focuses firstly on institutional background of value chains, processes and management processes used in the agricultural industry. The thesis also contains analysis of global coffee value chain, including the identification of entities engaged in the chain and their contribution to the creation of added value. Next chapter describes the development of the world coffee market and production of the world's major producers and exporters of coffee. The thesis also deals with the topic of economic and social sustainability and the impact of global value chains on the environment. Final part of the thesis concentrates on the position of the coffee industry in Vietnam, its structure and development over the past 40 years. Attention is paid also to a problematic position of small growers or to the opportunities of the development of the local coffee industry.
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Global value chains in electronic industry - the case of the Czech Republic
Moravčík, Martin ; Vlčková, Jana (advisor) ; Vošta, Milan (referee)
The diploma thesis deals with the activities of global value chains in Czech Republic, with a focus on the Czech Republic. The theoretical part of the work explains the term value chain, its origin, function and its impact on selected economic indicators. Types of the processes in the firms and the possibility of relocation on the external subject or abroad is mentioned at the end of this section. The practical part aims to access the activity of the companies in global value chains. Based on the statistic dates, information from various databases and calculations, the paper offers an insight into the situation in selected sectors. Other parts are dedicated to analyzing the opportunities, current trends and overall development of this industry in Czech Republic. The output of the work provides a general look on the concept, how the firms are working in value chains and how are they affecting the electronic industry.
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