Prague Region Research Articles

Impacts of Crisis on the Real Estate Market Depending on the Development of the Region

The article compares the effects of crisis on the real estate market in two regions of the Czech Republic that differ from a macroeconomic point of view. The region of Prague represents the rich and developed region while the Karlovy Vary region struggles with many socio-economic and structural problems. An analysis was performed for the time period of 2018 to 2022. It analyzed the development of apartment prices in both regions, the availability of housing, the turnover of the real estate market in terms of the number of apartment sales, the development of liens on real estate, the number of apartment transfers from state property to private ownership, and the development of the number of real estate foreclosures. The basis for creating statistical outputs is the EVAL software, which was developed by one of the co-authors of this article. The EVAL software collects price offers of apartments offered for sale and rent throughout the Czech Republic and collects publicly available data from the cadastral office. The authors found that the real estate market experienced a significant turnaround in the volume of mortgage loans granted in 2022. This decline led to a significant drop in the total volume of real estate transactions. The findings suggest that potential buyers should wait for property prices to drop before buying, while rental property owners and investors can take advantage of the increased demand for properties.

A comparison of the comprehensive municipal solid waste management systems of the region of Prague and the principality of Asturias. the influence of collection systems and municipality size on the waste collection and the recycling rates

A comparison of the comprehensive municipal solid waste management systems of the region of Prague and the principality of Asturias. the influence of collection systems and municipality size on the waste collection and the recycling rates

Restoring Natural Forests as the Most Efficient Way to Water Quality and Abundance: Case Study from Želivka River Basin

This article shows how to restore Central European natural capital effectively. Water in the landscape is primarily sustained by vegetation and soil, most effectively by natural forests and only secondarily by artificial reservoirs. The authors document these facts using a case study from the Želivka River basin (Švihov reservoir), which collects surface water for the metropolitan region of Prague and Central Bohemia. With the Energy-Water-Vegetation Method, the authors demonstrate that the cultural human-changed landscape of the Želivka river basin is able to utilize only about 60% of its solar energy potential. In 1.5% of the territory of the Czech Republic, society annually loses supporting ecosystem services at a level higher than 25% of the annual GDP of the CR 2015. Water retention in the landscape needs to be re-evaluated and addressed in accordance with the thermodynamic principles of life and ecosystem functioning in the biosphere. It is necessary to begin restoring the most efficient natural capital in the landscapes and to return the broad-leaved deciduous forests by intelligent forestation methods to the cultural landscape to the extent justified; this is especially true of the Želivka River basin, which is Czechia’s biggest surface drinking-water collecting area.

Demographic and socio-economic factors influencing health inequalities in the Czech Republic

Abstract Health inequalities, which could be prevented by appropriate means in various areas, are generally perceived as a consequence of injustice in the society and are mostly the result of inequalities in social determinants. The main goal of this article is to determine health inequalities defined by demographic and socio-economic factors at the level of districts of the Czech Republic in the period 2007–2018(due to the specific differences in data, the Capital City of Prague region was not included). The following statistical methods were used to process the data: correlation analysis, principal component analysis, composite indicator, cluster analysis and multidimensional factor analysis. The value of the composite indicator shows a very favorable situation in the districts of Praha-východ and Praha-západ (especially high proportion of university students, low unemployment, age index, infant mortality, abortion rate and housing subsidies), and the unfavourable situation in the districts of Chomutov, Teplice and Most (especially high housing and unemployment subsidies, low rate of university students, negative migration balance, high rates of infant mortality and abortion). The results specify regional disparities of demographic and socio-economic indicators that can cause health inequalities: negative regional disparities (Most, Teplice, Děčín, Bruntál, Karviná, Ostrava-město and Jeseník districts) and positive regional disparities (Praha-západ, Praha-východ, Mladá Boleslav, Jihlava and Brno-venkov). The study presents the results of analyses based on the example of smaller territorial units (districts) and confirms the existence of regional disparities in accordance with research at the national and international level. Highlights for public administration, management and planning: • Demographic factors are connected to socio-economic environmental factors (poverty, education, social exclusion, unemployment, social security, family situation etc.) that lead to regional health inequalities. • The regional disparities of selected demographic and socio-economic indicators of the districts of the Czech Republic that cause health inequalities were specified.

Finds of Penkivka Culture from Cheremushna Settlement

The materials of Penkivka culture from the multi-layered settlement of Cheremushna (Valky district Kharkiv region) are considered in the paper. Finds of jewelry indicate the period of the Penkivka layer of the second half of 6th — 7th centuries. Wideplate fibula and T-shaped belt plaque (Fig. 5: 1, 2) were found in trench 1. Fibula belongs to type 2, variant b by I. O. Havrytukhin. Similar finds (Fig. 6) occur from the hoards of Martynivka circle and the monuments of Penkivka culture. The find from Medzhybizh-Ribhosp, although it originates from Prague region, displays the appearance of Penkivka imports west of its main range. The find from Cheromushnaia falls into the center of the distribution area of such jewelry in the Dnieper Left Bank Ukraine (Fig. 7). The chronology of such fibulae falls on the period of the second half / end of 6th — the third quarter of 7th centuries. The T-shaped belt plaques with U-shaped hole belongs to variant 3 by A. I. Aibabin, group A by I.O. Havrytukhin, Type (E) IA, variant 1 by A. V. Skyba, type А.ІІ.2 by M. Daskalov, group В, type ХV by L. А. Traikova. Similar finds occur from the Middle Dunai, Dnieper, Crimea, the Caucasus and the Volga River (Fig. 8; 9). Among Slavic antiquities, similar products are concentrated in the Dnieper Left Bank Ukraine. The chronology of such finds fits into the period of second half of 6th — 7th centuries. The monument of Cheremushna is multi-layered, and there are also materials of Cherniakhiv and Saltiv cultures. It is important to note that this is the first monument of Penkivka culture in the Valky district and the only one in the upper reaches of the Mzha river basin

Speed dating: an effective tool for technology transfer in a fragmented regional innovation system?

The main goal of this paper is to demonstrate the impacts of speed dating on the enhancement of university-business collaboration. With the example of the metropolitan region of Prague and its largest university (Charles University), the case study on a speed dating event was organized by this University in the field of life science and medical devices. The results show, that speed dating itself has limited direct impact on real technology transfer. Only 1 of the 44 newly gained contacts was transformed into real cooperation in the form of consultancy. On the other hand, speed dating has several indirect impacts, which can moderate fragmentation of the regional innovation system, i.e. community and trust building, learning of common “language” and exchange of information. Direct impact can be enhanced by the follow-up activities of dedicated people (e.g. technology scouts or business development managers), who can encourage and support creation of more new technology partnerships.

TOWARDS A SEMANTIC BASED HUB PLATFORM OF VAULTED SYSTEMS: HBIM MEETS A GEODB

Abstract. In the last years many efforts have been invested in the cultural heritage digitization: surveying, modelling, diagnostic analysis and historic data collection. Nowadays, this effort is finalized in many cases towards the Historical Building Information Modelling. The number of informative models testifying the multifaceted richness and unicity of the architectural heritage and its components is progressively increasing. Information and Model are generally acquired under researches and analysis phases addressed to the preservation and restoration process. Unfortunately, once concluded the research such documentation is mostly left abandoned in the drawers or in the local memory of the computers, and in some cases totally missed. Just a few of them are saved in a server or in the cloud for the duration of the restoration, but without any connection with the maintenance process of historic architectures or knowledge transfer purposes and dissemination. This data loss would lead to the breaking of the cycle of past, present and future, with loss of memory and knowledge. The paper start facing the aspect of managing the information and models acquired on the case of vaulted systems. Information is collected within a semantic based hub platform to perform cross co-relation at a PanEuropean level. Such functionality allows to reconstruct the rich history of the construction techniques and skilled workers across Europe, enriched by 3 case studies surveyed in Prague region. To this purpose a Vault DB has been undertaken with a Vocabulary enriched by the granular information gained from the HBIM models, and with the vault sub-typologies highlighted by a detailed surveying.

Regional Tourism Clustering Based on the Three Ps of the Sustainability Services Marketing Matrix: An Example of Central and Eastern European Countries

The impact of tourism on quality of life standards in regions is significant in terms of people, planet, and profit. This paper examines the subnational NUTS 2 level regions, (in line with Eurostat) by applying several interlinked and connected indicators. Adopting the three Ps (people, planet, profit) of the Sustainability Services Marketing Mix, this article discusses the fusion of 54 regions of Central and Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, Romania, and Bulgaria) into clusters according to the selected accommodation tourism indicators used by the European Statistical Agency (Eurostat) to evaluate tourism. Since many variables of the Prague region significantly exceed the values of the remaining regions, this region has been considered as an individual cluster, excluded from the cluster analysis. The cluster analysis resulted in the definition of six clusters consisting of regions with similar indicators’ statistics characteristics. The presented approach changes the traditional approach to clusters in tourism and provokes thinking about new criteria of clustering and solutions in the field of tourism, especially when considering future cooperation, competitiveness, and sustainable development.

Street law for Czech and Slovak young Roma musicians

For almost seven years, Street Law has been a part of the curriculum of the Prague Law School. Over the years, law students have taught law at public and private grammar schools, high schools, business schools and also some vocational schools, mostly located in the Prague region. They were all secondary schools and predominantly ethnically homogenous, since members of the largest Czech minority, the Roma, for various reasons hardly ever attend these schools. Last summer, however, a group of Prague Law School students and recent graduates travelled to Eastern Slovakia to organize Street Law workshops for Roma teenagers. This text tells the story of their journey, reflects their teaching methodology and experience and offers a perspective of a law student participating in the workshops.

ETR Development and Analysis: Case from the Czech Republic

The paper investigates the effective corporate tax rate (ETR) in the Czech Republic from 2003 to 2013 from the point of both time-series and cross-sectional analysis. We exploit the access to Bureau van Dijk, Amadeus database to get broad data sample from financial statements. Thus, micro backward-looking approach was applied in the paper. We find clear downward trend in the ETR during the given period and statistically significant correlation between the ETR and statutory corporate tax rate (STR). We also undertake analysis of geographical regions using ZIP codes of the companies and analysis of economic sectors according to NACE of the sample firms. Main finding of the cross-sectional analysis is the highest ETR in the region of Prague (capital).

Psychomotor development differences between Czech adolescents from orphanages and adolescents from majority society

Background: The results of foreign studies have shown that psychomotor development of adolescents from orphanages falls significantly behind common developmental norms. In the Czech Republic, there is a lack of evidence of this issue despite the fact that some experts emphasize the possible defects of institutional care in the Czech Republic.Objective: The purpose of the study was to compare the level of psychomotor development of 13 year old adolescents from orphanages located in Prague and their counterparts from majority society. Methods: Psychomotor development of adolescents was tested with the complete form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, second edition (BOT-2), which consists of 52 items, divided into 12 dimensions assessing the level of fine motor skills, gross motor skills, coordination and agility. The study sample consisting of 57 adolescents (age 13.47 ± 0.26 years) included a sample of 21 adolescents from orphanages and 36 adolescents from majority society living in the Prague region. Results: Compared to their counterparts from majority society, adolescents from orphanages achieved significantly lower scores only in the fine motor precision dimension (η2 = .13; p = .032). The study showed significant difference between boys from orphanages and boys from majority society in the fine motor precision dimension (η2 = .13; p = .028), boys from majority society achieved significantly higher scores in this dimension. The results did not find significant difference in any BOT-2 dimensions between girls from majority society and girls from orphanages. Adolescents from orphanages achieved higher scores in the dimensions of strength and agility, running speed and agility and strength. Conclusion: Differences in psychomotor development were not confirmed in the observed dimensions of bilateral coordination and balance between the sample of adolescents from orphanages in Prague and their counterparts from majority society. This may be attributed to the specificity of institutional care in the Czech Republic.

Competition and customer loyalty of fitness centres in the Prague region compared to the Prague-West area

This paper presents the results of research on the competition and customer loyalty of fitness centres in Prague and in the Prague-West region. A questionnaire for fitness and wellness centre customers and a structured interview with management of selected fitness centres in the sample have been used. Four fitness and wellness centres, which are part of global or Czech chains, have been selected for the sample in the Prague region according to pre-defined criteria. In the second phase, an available sample of clients was selected for questioning in each of the researched facilities. The sample comprised 805 respondents in total. Five fitness centres were selected for the sample in the Prague-West region according to predefined criteria. The respondent sample from these fitness centres was selected using partly biased selection and deliberate selection. The selective sample consisted of 483 respondents. The results were sorted according to Porter analysis of level of competition and they present competitive rivalry between fitness and wellness centres in Prague and Prague-West. They also show the gradation of competition for customers in these areas and how it is increased by low customer loyalty. Furthermore, the results present the bargaining power of fitness centre customers, the bargaining power of suppliers of exercise machines and other goods, the threat of substitutes for fitness and wellness services and the threat of more rival facilities entering the market.

Changes in relative material deprivation in regions of Slovakia and the Czech Republic

The aim of this article is to assess the level of relative material deprivation in the Czech and Slovak Republics and their regions. The first part of the article describes the level of households? equipment with utilities and durables using the 1991 and 2001 censuses. The second part is aimed at estimating the relative material deprivation in the Czech and Slovak regions using EU SILC 2006-2008 microdata, i.e. approximately 15 years after the split. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the relative material deprivation rates between the Czech Republic and Slovakia and among their regions. According to the results, the level of deprivation is higher in Slovakia, and deprived households are highly concentrated in the eastern part of Slovakia. The regions can be divided into five clusters, while the Czech Capital Prague Region has a special position. It has the highest level of housing deprivation and the lowest level of durables/economic strain deprivation.

Diagnostics of Personal Work at Sport Organizations in the Czech Republic

Research of diagnostics of personal work at sport organizations in The Czech Republic was composed of three phases. In the first phase, a questionnaire was verified at sport organizations at Prague 6, where Department of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University is located. In the second phase of the research, sport organizations in the area of the capital city Prague were diagnosed. The third phase was realized at sport organizations in the whole area of the Czech Republic, excluding the capital city Prague. In this article, we present the results of the third phase. The questionnaire was conceived as an output of the key activity 1 “Creation of methodology for data collection about working positions at sport organizations at HMP area” according to the assignment of the project CZ.04.3.07/3.2.01.3/3345 “Program of profession development in a field of sport services in interaction with requirements of labour market”. Content validity of the questionnaire was ensured by the examination of two experts. Meritorious questions in the questionnaire were focused on characteristics of sport organizations from organization type aspects and labour employment characteristics. The second part is concerned with employers’ specific requirements for workers qualification, including knowledge and skills base of job applicants. The third phase deals with workers motivation including evaluation and remuneration of workers and non-financial motivators. Outcomes of the third phase of the research show, that the organizations at this labour market demand especially traditional professions like instructors, coaches, trainers, businessmen and sporting goods sellers. This trend is identical in the capital city Prague and in the other regions of the Czech Republic as well. Majority of demanding organizations are small organizations according to the number of employees (1 – 50 employees). Majority of entrepreneurial subjects are focused on providing sport services and selling of sporting goods. In the areas outside the capital city Prague region, more business opportunities for physical entities are shown. Requirements for employees, who come from schools, include the level of theoretical knowledge, communication skills, adaptability, practical orientation in the field, performance and independency. Results of the research show, that the potential job candidate in the field of providing sport services has to be prepared for working during weekends, business trips and even to have a representative look. Same requirements are preferred in selling of sport goods. Organizations in sport field have significant interest in employing students as well as from disabled people. Traditional methods of taking people are interviews, references and recommendations, CVs and personal experiences during a test period help to select employees. Authorities use mainly financial benefits for the motivation of employees. Within non-financial motivators, the outcomes of the research showed a positive trend in possibility of further education of employees. 19 % of these organizations have a sophisticated education system and even 10 % of those organizations allow education in the selected field.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.22.5.970

Specificities of suburbanisation in post-socialist context: New housing construction in metropolitan region of Prague 1997-2005

The article analyses residential suburbanisation in Prague metropolitan region using data about new housing construction in the period of 1997-2005. Findings show that despite suburban areas account for large share of newly constructed housing, its majority is built within the compact city. Large share of new housing construction in the compact city indicates the vitality and strength of urban alternatives to suburbanisation. In addition, the paper illustrates the strengthening position of Prague metropolitan area within the country and discuses characteristics of new housing construction in the relation to the increasing distance from the city centre.

Modelling of summer photochemical smog in the prague region

Numerical model for simulation and evaluation of summer episodes of anthropogenic surface ozone (summer smog episodes) is presented in this article. This model has been used for special air-pollution studies in the region of Prague (central part of Bohemia - the Czech Republic). It is based on so called “puff model” technology and lagrangian method of trajectories construction in the boundary layer of atmosphere is applied. Processes of turbulent dispersion of puffs, photochemical and other chemical transformations and deposition of compounds on the earth surface are also taken into account. System of equations used for chemistry description of the model is presented here in details and a brief informative presentation of model results is also included.

Photochemical smog modelling in Prague

A model for simulation and evaluation of summer episodes of anthropogenic surface ozone (summer smog episodes) is presented in this paper. This model has been used for air-pollution studies in the region of Prague (central part of Bohemia, the Czech Republic). It is based on so-called "puff model" technology and the Lagrangian method of trajectory construction in the boundary layer of the atmosphere is applied. Processes of turbulent dispersion of puffs, photochemical and other chemical transformations and deposition of compounds on the Earth"s surface are also taken into account. A brief informative presentation of model results is included.

Knowledge Transfer Under Subcontracting: Evidence from Czech Firms

We investigate the significance of subcontracting arrangements as a source of knowledge transfer and increased efficiency for Czech firms during 1993–96. We draw on detailed enterprise surveys and interviews with the managers of 373 manufacturing firms in the Prague region. The results suggest a positive correlation between employee training and subcontracting. Subcontracting is also associated with a reduction in variable costs and a price premium on the stock market. The effect of subcontracting on other firms in the same industry is weak. A high share of subcontracting activity in a particular industry is associated with increased valuation of firms without foreign partners as investors anticipate more subcontracting arrangements.

Multi-Element Analysis of Dry-Ashed Honey Samples by Thick-Target PIXE

Honey samples were dry ashed at 550°C and the ashes were directly analysed with the Thick-Target Particle Induced X-ray Emission (TTPIXE) technique. The elements P, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Rb and Sr, were analysed quantitatively. The method allowed the determination of concentrations well below 100 ng/g for most of the elements studied. The ash content can be used for characterization of a honey sample. The samples were collected from two areas in Finland and from the Prague region in the Czech Republic. A Cu-Ni smelter, documented as a source of heavy-metal emission, is situated in one of the areas in Finland. A comparison of metal concentrations in ashes of honey samples proved to be useful for environmental monitoring

Planning in the Prague region: Past, present and future

This article examines the changing nature of environmental planning in Prague, a city which has seen immense political and economic change in the past few years; the city will also certainly see great physical change in the next decade, but the role and effectiveness of planning is still open to question. In order to understand these changes it is necessary to explore the past and identify the legacy of problems which the city planners face. The tensions which are apparent are illustrated by looking at three areas of concern: environmental pollution, the historic core and suburban greenspace. In each of these areas the new contexts of privatization of the economy, restitution of private property and decentralization/liberalization of government mean that the ability of the planning system to address issues directly is heavily constrained. For the future, planning needs to be able to facilitate investment in new developments and rehabilitation of old without allowing the freedom of the market to damage the environment and heritage even further.