Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Petra Y. Barthelmess Author-Name: Mathias Schüz Author-Name: Rainer Fuchs Author-Name: Dušan Kučera Title: Different Shades of Green: Comparative Study on Nature Relatedness and Ecologic Consciousness among South Korean, Swiss, and Czech Students Abstract: How concerned are today’s students about environmental issues? Do they sense urgency for change towards a more environmentally compatible life? Who should act and what impact does one’s individual action have? And last but not least, does ecological consciousness and action go together with a sense of nature relatedness? More than 1600 South Korean, Swiss, and Czech students have participated in this comparative survey. Nearly all of them affirm that ecological considerations influence their daily behavior. Whereas most of them see the main agent of change in themselves, the impact of one’s individual action, however, is seen differently along the East and West cultural divide. Also when it comes to one’s personal sense of closeness to nature, we can observe an East West cultural variation. On average the South Koreans reveal a greater closeness towards nature than Swiss and Czech students, this despite the fact that they have the largest percentage in urban background, and consequently reveal the least physical familiarity with the natural world. In our effort to interpret these results, we have included a discussion about the diverging cultural background of the three sample groups. While they all agree on the urgency of the issue and the necessity of a more pro-environmental change, depending on their culture their ideas about the right means to introduce a change in behavior differ. Keywords: naturerelatedness, ecologic consciousness, intercultural study, corporate ecologic responsibility, sustainable corporate responsibility Classification-JEL: J17, M14, Q56, Z12 Pages: 7-18 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/63 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/63 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:41:p:7-18 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/41 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ivan Tomek Author-Name: Václav Stříteský Author-Name: Radek Tahal Title: Segmentation of Czech Consumers Based on the Attitudes Towards Money Abstract: Understanding current and potential customers´ behaviour is one of the key factors of marketing efficiency and it brings competitive advantage. Companies usually classify their customers and create client groups with similar characteristic features. Such grouping activity is called segmentation or typology. There are many possibilities how to obtain data for segmentation process (e.g. data mining, demographical segmentation, analyzing shopping behaviour, media behaviour or their combination). This paper concentrates on financial behaviour of the Czech population and brings a survey based on primary data. It takes into consideration aspects like attitude towards risk and savings and even aspects like money ethic and money role in the society. Seven consumer segments that differ in attitudes towards money were identified and described. Keywords: consumer segmentation, consumer behaviour, money attitudes, consumer typology Classification-JEL: M31 Pages: 19-24 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/66 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/66 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:42:p:19-24 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/42 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Arnold Schuh Title: Central and Eastern Europe After the Boom - Time for a Stragegy Change for Foreign Multinationals? Abstract: In 2008 the global financial and economic crisis ended a six-year-long boom period with an average growth rate well above 5% in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Although not the originators of the crisis some CEE countries such as the Baltic States and Ukraine were among the worst hit by this economic downturn. The crisis did not only shatter the financial markets, banks and the real economy but also the growth image of CEE. The huge market potential and expected higher growth rates resulting from the catching-up process to West European standards have been the main reason for the flood of foreign direct investments into the countries of the region in the two decades before. Suddenly, foreign direct investors were confronted with stalled and even collapsing market growth, shrinking disposable household income, business customers and partners on the verge of bankruptcy and no real sign of a quick recovery. While the situation improved a little in 2011, the economic outlook and the sentiment of foreign investors have remained gloomy, at least for parts of the region. It is obvious that when faced with such a huge economic downturn companies stop geographic expansion and put the brakes on investments. Keywords: Central and Eastern Europe, strategy, economic crisis, multinational company Classification-JEL: F23, M16 Pages: 25-30 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/58 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/58 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:43:p:25-30 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/43 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Chandru Nagarajan Sathiyabama Author-Name: Pramod Dasan Title: Optimum Resource Allocation and Eliminating Waste Inside Food Industry Abstract: This article seeks to allocate optimum resources for wrapping section and suggesting a suitable method that need to be in place for successful elimination of waste inside the food industry wrapping section. It also includes identifying the main reasons for various types of wastages inside wrapping section and cost of all the wastages. The paper is based on the observation and research using the approach of lean tools and techniques. The methodology used for evaluating data is value stream mapping and some statistical SPSS tools for analysis. Data’s are real and are gathered from three different production shifts inside a food industry wrapping section. The main reasons for wastages inside the wrapping section are highlighted. Finally, the paper was concluded by estimating total cost of wastages and recommended suitable way to save the wastage costs. The need of change of jaws inside the wrapping machines, regular maintenance of all machines throughout the industry and training the personnel are recommended. The possible methods along with its benefits to reduce waste, operators, improve productivity and business growth was also highlighted. Keywords: LEAN Methodology, Optimization in Food Logistics, Operations in Food lndustry Classification-JEL: C40, C41, C44 Pages: 31-44 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/53 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/53 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:44:p:31-44 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/44 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vlastimil Juppa Title: Managerial Guidelines for Market Penetration and Expansion: A Case Study of a Medical Devices Manufacturer Abstract: This article brings managerial guidelines for new markets expansion and current market penetration on an example of a Czech medical devices manufacturer. We describe the strategy in evaluation of the opportunities in the territories, of setting up the benchmarks, the steps how to deal with the partners in current territories and how to approach the acquisition of new territories. We show how significant is the sales growth for financials, we mention the limit defined in the Theory of Sustainable Growth. We show how important the level is, how the products are advanced and how important is to have unique products. Keywords: market penetration, expansion, management, guidelines Classification-JEL: M1, M3 Pages: 45-50 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/68 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/68 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:45:p:45-50 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/45 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Elżbieta Kawecka-Wyrzykowska Title: Poland’s Public Finance Convergence with the Euro Area Abstract: Situation of Poland's public finances has been improving. Helped by solid economic growth in 2011, Poland has reduced its budget deficit in line with the Commission's recommendations. Contrary to earlier forecasts, in 2012 it was slightly above the ceiling of 3% of GDP. It should be further reduced to reach in 2015 the level of 1% of GDP in terms structural deficit. The slowdown of the economy in 2012 and probably in 2013 will not make this task easy, however. Public debt has risen steadily over the past few years but level has been in recent times still well below the 60% of GDP ceiling. The national reform programme and the convergence programme were adopted by Poland’s Council of Ministers on 25 April 2012. The convergence programme outlined in an integrated manner the fiscal consolidation efforts, the key structural reforms and the reforms that underpin macroeconomic stabilisation. In the medium to long term, Poland is faced with a number of challenges. A very low labour force participation rate, in particular of women, and the poor quality of vocational training and education are major concerns given an ageing population. The low level of public and private R&D spending, weak links between science and industry and the poor innovation performance call for improvements. Apart from programme of national reforms, crucial for future sustained economic growth and good performance of public finances, an additional factor stimulating activities towards fiscal improvement should be Poland’s participation in a strengthened economic governance architecture recently introduced in the EU. Euro adoption remains an important goal of Polish government. The uncertain situation in the euro zone has, however, postponed adoption of a clear timetable of joining the euro zone. The government decided that an additional condition to join the euro zone, apart from meeting the nominal convergence criteria (and legal conditions not discussed here), is stabilisation of the euro area situation. Keywords: convergence fiscal criteria, public finances stabilization, Poland’s budgetary situation, EU economic governance, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) Classification-JEL: E61, F32, F33 Pages: 51-60 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/70 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/view/70 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:46:p:51-60 X-File-Ref: http://www.vse.cz/RePEc/prg/jnlcbr/references/46 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tomáš Poucha Title: Kyriakos Kyriakou: Big companies overanalyze and thus lose perspective Pages: 61-65 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/download/75/56 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/download/75/56 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:47:p:61-65 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pavel Kotyza Title: Corruption as New Hot Marketing Tool Pages: 66 Volume: 2013 Issue: 2 Year: 2013 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/download/72/57 File-URL: http://cebr.vse.cz/cebr/article/download/72/57 File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:prg:jnlcbr:v:2013:y:2013:i:2:id:48:p:66