Suchergebnisse

In this contribution, we compare the correlation of supply & demand shocks for the countries of the euro zone & the acceding countries in Central Europe. Demand & supply shocks are recovered from estimated structural VAR models of output growth & inflation in individual countries. We find that Poland & Hungary face already a comparably high similarity with the countries of the current euro zone. However, the remaining countries show still significant differences in business cycles as compared to the euro zone. This is likely to indicate that the loss of monetary sovereignty may be costly. In turn, the integration is expected to align the business cycles of these countries in the medium run. We document a similar development for the countries of the European Union in the 1990s. 4 Figures, 22 References. Adapted from the source document.

This article uses the method of thematic discourse analysis to study jihadi discussion forums in cyberspace. Firstly, this paper deals with propaganda as a form of communication, shows the Internet as a medium that has absorbed all other media, and analyses the terrorist ideas spread through the Internet. The main part of this study focuses on the jihadi discourse, through which jihadists present the Islamic world as suffering under the oppression of the West to persuade a passive Muslim audience to join the jihad. Through an analysis of text extracts from three popular jihadi forums (Alqimmah, Al Fallujah and Ansar Al Mujahideen) the paper deals not only with different types of propaganda, but also with the intentions of the propagandists and the means they use to achieve their goals. Adapted from the source document.

In this paper we discuss the issue of the choice of exchange rate regimes in transitive economies and the effect of exchange rate policy on the development of macroeconomic indicators (e.g. the average growth rate of real GDP in domestic currency and the development of domestic inflation). It is obvious that exchange rate policy is not a passive factor, at least in the medium term. Our analysis indicates that the fixed foreign exchange rate arrangements policy does not necessarily mean stability of the foreign exchange rates. Neither percentage exchange rate changes of fixed rates, nor their volatility measured by the standard deviation are lower than the average change is over the examined period. Our analysis indicates also that the inflation rate is growing in accordance with the growth of depreciation of the foreign exchange rate and the growth of its volatility measured by the standard deviation. It was cleared that the higher volatility of the effective nominal exchange rate is reflected by the lower average economic growth rate of transitive countries. Adapted from the source document.

We analyse potential sources of internal imbalances, specifically as regards private and public indebtedness. The combination of a high public debt and increasing private sector indebtedness have been a source of concern in the perspective of the funding of the economy in examined countries. We utilize the detailed financial accounts as an analytical framework for revealing the development of private sector's indebtedness in 18 EU countries in the period 1995-2012. Ratio of private debt (non-financial corporations, households and non-profit institutions serving households) to GDP was steadily increasing till 2009 with a decrease in the following years. After the decomposition of the private sector debt several facts stand out. Highly indebted, on the average, are households in Denmark and The Netherlands. Postsocialist countries have still low indebtedness, but are catching up. In panel regressions (fixed effects) the dependent variable is overlapping two-and free-year forward looking averages. The control variables are those usually used in growth equations a la R. Barro. We have utilised also instrumental variables (Pooled IV Two-stage EGLS) and 3 years averages for all variables to capture medium-run impacts. Having analysed the impacts of different private debt variables on the growth rate of real GDP we assert that the impact has been negative and statistically significant in almost all growth regressions. Adapted from the source document.

As a result of stability in the field of international relations & the absence of acute security threats in many countries & regions of the world (this applies to the EU as well), & as a consequence of the influence of globalization in particular, the importance of the economic dimension of foreign policy is more accentuated at the beginning of the 21st century. Therefore, commercial diplomacy is more important as well, & at the same time, the character of its functions changes, which is the main object of research in this study. In the first part, a brief historical survey of functions of commercial diplomacy, from their very beginnings to their present shape, is drafted. In the second chapter, the term commercial diplomacy is defined, & related terms are described as well. In the third part, the following basic functions of commercial diplomacy (as implemented in contemporary practice) are analyzed: trade promotion & development, investment promotion, economic-information functions, political-legislative functions, development aid assistance & state promotion. The fourth part of this work is focused on the issue of transnational companies (TNCs), whose number rose dramatically in the last few decades, & at present, this subject is considered to be one of the most important factors influencing the character of commercial diplomacy both currently & in the future. The author concludes that commercial diplomacy will be focused particularly on small & medium sized enterprises in the future. At the same time, the complexity of functions of commercial diplomacy will rise, particularly as a result of a diffusion of the economic & political dimensions of foreign policy. Adapted from the source document.

The study of the Bulgarian system of political parties assumed a relatively important position in the context of research in the genesis of party and political arrangements in post-communist countries of Central, South-East and Eastern Europe in the 1990s. It can be said that, in spite of certain delay, Bulgarian multipartism became one of the privileged subjects of that research, similarly to post-communist pluralisms in Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic (and/or Czechoslovakia). The attention given to Bulgarian party system was not a mere coincidence. The fact is that apart from some endemic peculiarities, Bulgarian multipartism also showed – and still, to a large extent, shows - some distinct features of indisputable interest and importance for the construction of models of formation of pluralist party systems, features linked especially with the complex phenomenon of Bulgarian post-communist party and political (bi)polarisation and its medium and long term system forming consequences. This article is a contribution to the discussion about the remarkable aspects of Bulgarian post-communist multipartism. In this perspective, special attention will be paid to links between the Bulgarian model of major pole dualism (Union of Democratic Forces, SDS, and Bulgarian Socialist Party, BSP), the format of its party system and the systemic effect of the "extended" ("protracted") initial social and political polarisation. In this context, also some partial issues related with the evolution of the potential and role of "third parties" in present-day Bulgarian context will be briefly addressed. ; The study of the Bulgarian system of political parties assumed a relatively important position in the context of research in the genesis of party and political arrangements in post-communist countries of Central, South-East and Eastern Europe in the 1990s. It can be said that, in spite of certain delay, Bulgarian multipartism became one of the privileged subjects of that research, similarly to post-communist pluralisms in ...

The Moravist parties are an interesting subject of study for two principal aspects: that of an experiment involving different party and political identities and forms of organisation in the period of transition to pluralist democracy in a post-communist environment, and that of a link between ethno-regional political actors and identitary mobilisation, or a stimulator of a potential nation-building process. Unfortunately, this topic has not yet been given much attention (cf. Musil, Rabušic, Mareš 1991; Daněk 1993; Pernes 1996; Dallago 1999). The purpose of this article is to at least partially fill the gap. Brief as it is, the article cannot cover the problem in its complexity, but to give an overview of the evolution of Moravist parties between 1990 and 1999/2000, to elaborate on some hypotheses explaining the reasons of the spectacular electoral success of the Moravist movement at the beginning, and the fall of its electoral and political potential today. I have based my approach to the above phenomena on the following premises: 1. The Moravist movement has been a legitimate actor on the Czechoslovak and, eventually, Czech political scene, drawing upon sources of political legitimacy which were not better or worse than the sources used by other actors. A different issue is, however, the successful effort of other competitors to delegitimatise the movement. 2. The initial success of the Moravist movement was a product of an extraordinary and unrepeatable combination of heterogeneous factors and issues, with a prevailing role of conjunctural factors. That is the reason why the chance for the Moravist movement to remain a genuine major political actor in the medium and long term was quite minimal, irrespective of the strategy invented and pursued by its leaders. 3. The chance of the Moravist movement to remain a minor, but relevant regional actor in Czech party politics was quite bigger, though. In this respect, the fall of Moravist parties should be explained as a result – even though not exclusively – of ...

Příspěvek je věnován zjišťování vlivu determinantů z oblasti sociodemografických proměnných na kognitivní a afektivní aspekt environmentální gramotnosti žáků druhého stupně Základní školy Žatec, nám. 28. října 1019, okres Louny. Výzkumný vzorek byl tvořen 87 respondenty z 6. až 9. ročníků. Studie předkládá výsledky týkající se vlivu pohlaví, bydliště, věku respondentů a realizovaných volnočasových aktivit na naměřené hodnoty environmentálních vědomostí a proenvironmentálních postojů, k jejichž zjišťování byl využit výzkumný nástroj složený z testu MSELS a dvoudimenzionální škály 2-MEV. Vztah mezi vědomostmi a postoji byl identifikován jako nepříliš těsný na rozdíl od středně silné pozitivní korelace mezi oběma faktory škály 2-MEV. V případě pohlaví a velikosti bydliště nebyl prokázán signifikantní vliv těchto proměnných ani u jednoho ze zkoumaných aspektů. Totožné závěry byly potvrzeny u věku respondentů a volnočasových aktivit ve vztahu k vědomostem, ovšem u postojů byl zaznamenán významný vliv obou determinantů. Nejpříznivěji se z volnočasových aktivit projevily aktivity zaměřené na pobyt v přírodě a sport. ; The contribution is devoted to investigating the impact of sociodemographic variables of the area on the cognitive and affective aspect of environmental literacy among 12-15 years old students in Žatec, Square 28 October 1019, district of Louny. The author tested two research instruments: MSELS and two-dimensional scales of 2-MEV on the research sample consisting from 87 respondents from 6 to 9th grades of these school. The study presents the results regarding the influence of gender, domicile, age of the respondents and their leisure time activities on the measured figures of environmental knowledge and proenvironmental attitudes. The relation between the knowledge and the attitudes was identified not too tight in contrast to medium-strong positive correlation between the two factors of 2- MEV scales. In the case of sex and place of residence (village/city) no significant effect was proved, either in one of the aspects. The identical conclusions were confirmed concerning the age of respondents, and leisure time activities in relation to their knowledge. However, talking about attitudes there was a significant effect of both determinants. Leisure time outdoor and sports activities in the nature manifested the most positive influence on the affective component. Even if these results are not representative, the new research questions for wider survey are offered in the conclusions.