Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eva Černohlávková Title: Small and Medium Enterprises in the Czech Republic - The Possibilities of Financing their International Business Activities Abstract: At the beginning of nineties small and medium enterprises (SMEs) constituted a new phenomenon in the Czech economy. Their role increased during past fi fteen years but the development and internationalisation of their activities have been infl uenced by many barriers. The shortage of fi nancial recourses, lack of experience, information and knowledge were the most important among them. Step by step the institutions and business supporting services for SME were introduced. The fi nancial market development caused the change of the attitude of Czech commercial banks towards SMEs in a positive way. Another reason of this shift is the support the commercial banks receive from the international fi nancial institutions /EBRD, EIB/ for fi nancing of SMEs. The EU accession has brought new incentives to the international business activities of SME. To increase their competitiveness the effi ciency of using the fi nancial resources of EU funds might be crucial. The best ways of the fi nancial support of SMEs would probably be the forms which are connected with networking and cooperation among SMEs and management advice. Keywords: small and medium enterprises, business fi nance Classification-JEL: M13, M21 Pages: 16-30 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=174.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/174 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:174:p:16-30 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Eva Klvačová Title: Measurement of countries competitiveness: theoretical fundaments and practical results Abstract: Why some countries are able to achieve long-term sustainable growth while the other find themselves in stagnation or even deteriorate their position in world economy? World Economic Forum seeks for answer of this question by the construction of the Growth Competitiveness Index. The construction of this index is established on the assumption that the competitiveness of the country is given by three main factors: the quality of macroeconomic environment, the state of public institutions and the technical progress. World Economic Forum fi gures out Growth Competitiveness Index every year for 104 countries of the world. The article shows how the index is constructed, what are their subindices and partial indicators. It shows also score for all countries and their ranking. Keywords: competitiveness of countries, World Economic Forum Pages: 31-48 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=175.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/175 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:175:p:31-48 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hana Machková Title: Actual trends in International marketing (selected problems) Abstract: Changes in international business environment in the beginning of 90ties had infl uenced marketing strategies of many companies. The main objective of the article is to analyze actual trends and their infl uence on international business activities. The analysis of the main types of international business strategies is made in the introductory part. The process of the segmentation, targeting and positioning is following. International brand management, the third part of the article, focus on explanation of functions of brands, brand equity and steps in decision making process. The article is concluded by the problematic of E-Business and information sources for Czech export companies. Keywords: International business environment, International marketing, International brand management, E-business Classification-JEL: M30, M31 Pages: 49-70 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=177.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/177 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:177:p:49-70 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Malý Title: EU Membership Strengthens the Competitiveness of the Czech Republic Abstract: As regards the frequently mentioned risks connected with the EU entry, we feel that the analyzed macroeconomic data do not confi rm that these risks have materialized. The example of the Czech Republic, which joined the EU in 2004, conversely points to an improvement of most macroeconomic indicators following the EU accession, and in fewer cases maintenance of the results from time before the membership. After the EU entry the infl ation rate is kept on a low level, real GDP accelerated, economic level of the Czech Republic is increasing towards the EU average, the foreign trade records very positive results, the unemployment rate did not increase, real wages grow, exchange rate of the Czech crown against the euro and USD keeps strong positions, based on the Convergence Program, general government defi cit of the Czech Republic has started to reduce after EU accession. As follows from the statistical data, period of intensive preparation of the Czech Republic to join the EU as well as fi rst months of EU membership have rather a positive infl uence on the competitiveness of the Czech Republic. Keywords: European Union, integration, economic policy, unemployment, Czech Republic, competitiveness, inflation, gross domestic product, foreign trade, wages, exchange rate, public finance Classification-JEL: E20, E30, E60 Pages: 71-80 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=181.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/181 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:181:p:71-80 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Josef Malý Title: Management on Industrial Property in the Czech Republic and the Legislation in the EU Abstract: Know-how, information, knowledge, trade secrets, industrial and intellectual property, i.e. patents, utility models, industrial designs, trademarks, trade names, appellations of origin of goods and geographical identifi cations: these terms cover different components of an organization ´s "industrial property", the importance of which in intangible economy is well-known. These components require new forms of "management"-with this term covering strategy. They also require expertise with commercial, fi nancial and legal tools to convert them into "accounting assets" and legal objects. By giving them a legal form and organizing their ownership, they become a source of value for the business, quantifi able using objectives and rigorous fi nancial methods. The term "intangible assets" involves rigorous organization of the ownership of rights, which involves strategic choices for their exploitation. The most important part of the study is devoted to the legislative environment valid in the former 15 member states of the EU with most of the provisions and laws already incorporated in the Czech laws. Keywords: know-how, patent, utility model, industrial design, trademark, trade name, appellation of origin of goods, geographical identifi cation, block exemption, ?European Patent? Pages: 81-94 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=186.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/186 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:186:p:81-94 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Božena Plchová Title: Selected Aspects of the Development of the Competitiveness of the Czech Republic Abstract: The study deals with the Czech competitiveness development and is oriented on selected aspects. It starts with basic characteristics of competitiveness and continues on the analysis of quantitative indicators:- Real Effective Exchange Rate - Kilogramme Export, Import Prices - Export Structure according to High or Low Technological Level. The next part of study deals with qualitative indicators of the Czech competitiveness on the basis of the World Competitiveness Reports (IMD Lausanne). Both analytical parts conclude basic results or trends but not in all indicators defi nite. Some of hard data, especially of macroeconomic level express pozitive trend of the Czech competitiveness pozition. But certain indicators, based on expert evaluations (soft data) indicate week points and decreasing trends, especially concerning business effi ciency or microeconomic government policy. Keywords: competitiveness, International Comparisons, Quantitative Indicators: Real Effective, Kilogram Export, Import Prices, Export Structure, High or Low Technological, World Competitiveness Reports, International Management Development Institute Lausanne, World Economic Forum Geneve Classification-JEL: F230 Pages: 95-121 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=188.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/188 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:188:p:95-121 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Alexej Sato Title: Venture capital (private equity) Abstract: Venture capital represents for Czech economy new fi nancial source of the bussiness activities, still not too frequently used. Poor knowledges of the venture capital, as well as the absence of expeciencies with its utilization, are the reasons of actual situation. Public opinion consider on the one hand venture capital as an important means of growth of the domectic economy, on the other hand as an element operating too closely to the impeachable activities. Pondering upon utilization of the venture capital, the most of the entrepreneuers do not realize the fact, an accession of the venture capital certainly change the basic proprietary relationships of an entreprise. This article indicates some of the new means and methods, used in the Czech Republic. Keywords: venture capital, marketing project Classification-JEL: F23 Pages: 122-131 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=189.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/189 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:189:p:122-131 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jana Sereghyová Title: Multicriterial evaluations of the competitiveness of new EU member- states and the real competitiveness of the Czech republic in international comparison Abstract: Each year we are informed in the "World Competitiveness Yearbook" , which is published by the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, about the bad and/or deteriorating competitiveness of Centraleuropean transition countries, although their export performance, as well as their market shares, are increasing permanently at an above-average pace. We ascertained, that the contradiction between this evaluation and reality is caused mainly by the fact, that among the huge number of criteria, on which the conclusions of this Institute are based, are missing most of the classical, theoretically founded, criteria of competitiveness. This contradiction is also due to the fact, that conditions established in the economically most developed countries of the world, are regarded by this Institute as the main "etalon" for its evaluations, so that any deviation from these "norms", even those which are caused merely by the fact, that new EU member-states are still transition countries, are interpreted as a proof of their weak competitiveness. This biased vision of the competitiveness of these countries has numerous negative consequences, beginning with the worsening of conditions under which they can achieve access to foreign fi nancial resources, upto the weakening of the confi dence of foreign investors in their competitiveness and technological capabilities, (which negatively infl uences the choice of productions these investors are willing to establish here). Thus it is of utmost importance to make the economic public aware of the good competitiveness of the Czech republic and of other new EU member-states from among Centraleuropean transition countries, which is revealed among others also by convincing data, presented in the above mentioned article. Keywords: competitiveness, criteria of competitiveness, foreign direct investment Classification-JEL: C82, F29 Pages: 132-146 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=191.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/191 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:191:p:132-146 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Miroslava Zamykalová Author-Name: Soňa Gullová Author-Name: Františka Müllerová Title: Intercultural Differences in International Business Negotiation and Enterprise Abstract: When entering foreign markets fi rms should consider the special characteristics of international environment, existing intercultural differences, try to recognize factors infl uencing the behaviour and decision-making of consumers, managers, businessmen and negotiators. These characteristics and differences must be respected in the process of preparation and application of suitable marketing policy, corporate and personal management and successful business negotiation. Keywords: management, intercultural differences, marketing, business negotiation Classification-JEL: F15 Pages: 147-157 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=192.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/192 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:192:p:147-157 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Veronika Zemanová Title: Theoretical premises for the conception of enterprise competitiveness Abstract: The aim of this contribution is to present a brief summary of basic theoretical premises for the conception of the enterprise competitiveness and its marketing environment analysis. So the attention is given to the defi nition of competitiveness, Porter`s conception of competitive ability and competitive strategy and also to his comparison with present-day approaches. Within the framework of the marketing environment analysis of the enterprise I separately deal with the microenvironment and macroenvironment of the enterprise. In the first case I briefly speak about the structural industry analysis, structural analysis inside the industry and portfolio analysis methods. In the other case the attention is given to Political, Economic, Social and Technological Environment (PEST) Analysis, to main areas of elements interaction in macroenvironment and to the survey of these elements according to Kotler. So the perspective is not concentrated on fi rms only, but also in relation to the environment which they are in. Keywords: competitiveness, enterprise competitiveness, marketing environment analysis Classification-JEL: F230 Pages: 158-182 Volume: 2005 Issue: 2 Year: 2005 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=193.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/193 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2005:y:2005:i:2:id:193:p:158-182