Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lukáš Sobíšek Author-Name: Hana Řezanková Title: Comparison of Dimensionality Reduction Methods Applied to Ordinal Variables Abstract: Questionnaire survey data are usually characterized by a great amount of ordinal variables. For multivariate analysis, it is suitable to reduce task dimensionality. The aim of this paper is a comparison of the results obtained by the analysis of data files with ordinal variables using selected methods for dimensionality reduction. The results are in the form of individual component values (e.g. factor loadings). For better interpretation and comparability, these component values were consequently analyzed by fuzzy clustering. On the basis of the obtained clusters of variables, we determined the optimal number of dimensions. We applied silhouette and Dunn´s partition coeffi cients. Furthermore, we tried to merge the results received by individual methods on the basis of the sCSPA technique (soft version of cluster-based similarity partitioning algorithm). We considered groups of different methods and searched the best solution. The problems are illustrated by means of two real data fi les obtained from questionnaire surveys. We used SPSS, STATISTICA, Latent GOLD and S-PLUS systems. Keywords: categorical principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling, latent class cluster models, discrete factor analysis, fuzzy cluster analysis Classification-JEL: C38 Pages: 3-19 Volume: 2011 Issue: 1 Year: 2011 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=323.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/323 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2011:y:2011:i:1:id:323:p:3-19 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlaop/references/323 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Milan Bašta Title: The Modwt Analysis of the Relationship Between Mortality and Ambient Temperature for Prague, Czech Republic Abstract: Weather conditions influence the health of humans. Changing weather patterns may also cause considerable increase or decrease in the number of deaths. In this paper, we use daily data for Prague, Czech Republic, and the maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform to explore the time scale patterns in the relationship between the average ambient temperature and the number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases. We summarize several well-known facts, give a short introduction to the maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform and study the relationship between several pairs of wavelet coefficients of various levels for the temperature time series and the number of deaths. The results are suggestive of a positive linear relationship between respective wavelet coefficients of the 4th level during summer. More specifically, we have estimated that a one-degree-Celsius increase in the weekly average temperature during summer is accompanied by an increase in the weekly average number of deaths by 0.37 on average. The odds in favor of an increase in the weekly average number of deaths during summer have been estimated to be 4.22 times higher if an increase in the weekly average temperature occurs when compared to the situation when a decrease in the weekly average temperature occurs. Further research might be desirable to verify and interpret the results. Keywords: time series, MODWT, demography, mortality, temperature Classification-JEL: C10, I12 Pages: 20-40 Volume: 2011 Issue: 1 Year: 2011 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=324.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/324 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2011:y:2011:i:1:id:324:p:20-40 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlaop/references/324 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Anton Radaikin Title: Good Faith and Economic Competition Abstract: The article emphasizes the underlying problem of good faith in business law. This is a crucial topic widely discussed in the EU, but implementation of common tools is limited. Business practices in the Czech Republic were under the pressure of socialism for more than 40 years; therefore, Czech business culture has not been cultivated enough since the First Republic. The current tendencies in the decisions of Czech courts show a shift in the right direction. An analysis of legal regulations of good faith in different EU countries gives an overview of common similarities and differences. Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Good faith, business ethics, breach of good faith Classification-JEL: K00, K33, K4 Pages: 41-53 Volume: 2011 Issue: 1 Year: 2011 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=325.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/325 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2011:y:2011:i:1:id:325:p:41-53 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlaop/references/325 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Lena Mlejnková Title: Consumer Behavior in Spa Tourism in the Czech Republic Abstract: As part of health-oriented tourism, spa tourism has dynamically evolved in the past 10 years. The research focuses on current and future consumer behavior of Czech clients - both insured and self-paying ones - and also analyzes the potential new segment of the population that has not used spa services yet. As for quantitative research methods, we used a combination of personal interviews and online questionnaire data collection. The research includes all regions of the Czech Republic with spa resorts. We also used the quota sampling method for determination of the share of the main segments of respondents. The whole research includes answers of 1,016 respondents. The research proved a high potential for spa visits in all studied segments and identifi ed their inclination to consume, particularly in relation to the age and family income. The conclusion of the research was sent to spa tourism practitioners and experts. Keywords: research, Spa tourism, wellness, clients, consumer behavior Classification-JEL: I11, L83, M31 Pages: 54-72 Volume: 2011 Issue: 1 Year: 2011 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=326.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/326 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2011:y:2011:i:1:id:326:p:54-72 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlaop/references/326 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Věra Höppnerová Title: The Sphere of Education as a Source of Interference Errors Abstract: Words of foreign origin can make learning a foreign language easier. However, a comparison of foreign words in Czech and their apparent equivalents in German in the sphere of education reveals numerous instances of different usage and meaning. This interference between languages can be a source of mistakes resulting in misunderstandings. Keywords: interlingual interference, Czech, German, sphere of education Pages: 73-76 Volume: 2011 Issue: 1 Year: 2011 File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/download.php?jnl=aop&pdf=327.pdf File-URL: http://www.vse.cz/aop/327 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlaop:v:2011:y:2011:i:1:id:327:p:73-76 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlaop/references/327