Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: H. Hudečková Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: M. Lošťák Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Preparation and implementation of the Programme SAPARD: Who might be winners and losers Abstract: The paper addresses the first experience with the SAPARD Programme in the Czech Republic. Its theoretical background refers to gradualist and shock approaches in coping with social change. These approaches are connected either with theoretical fundaments of neo-classical economic theories (shock approach and methodological individualism; homo-oeconomicus), or classical sociological theories (institutions, norms and rules, social embeddedness, methodological collectivism and Durkheim's social fact). An empirical section of the paper is based on findings from field work and interviews with the SAPARD shareholders. It shows a sociological analysis of the origin of the SAPARD Plan and compares various measures implemented under the SAPARD Programme to indicate who was the winner (medium-scale businesses and farms understanding the SAPARD as a preparation for EU membership) and loser (and why) in competing for funding related to these measures. Also the issue how the SAPARD projects applicants master their action as for preparing and submitting projects is addressed. The role of social capital in the SAPARD Programme preparation is documented. Keywords: SAPARD, social action, institutions, social change, social capital Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 547-556 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5447-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5447-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200312-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5447-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Mlejnecká Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: L. Kříž Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Integrated projects of rural microregions: Experiences in the Central Bohemia region Abstract: The article brings the empiric reflection and results-based analysis of the "Programme of Rural Revival" realization in the territory of the Central Bohemia Region (NUTS II/III) in the time of regional self-governing organization in the Czech Republic. The primary interest of the authors was focused on the participation of microregions in the Programme activities, resp. on the item and object spectrum. The scope of the grant title 7 of the " Programme of Rural Revival" is assigned specifically for microregions. The successful request-analysis indicates varying spheres of activity and themes that microregions prefer in their demands for the Programme subsidy. It is, among others, observed through the interest for preparation of projects in the LEADER+ programme intention because the grant title 7 is also available for the LEADER+ preparation purposes. The preferences of microregions reflected in the requests indicate a further trend of territory-development supported activities. Unsuccessful requests analysis points towards broad relations of the Programme realization at the institutional-legislative level. Further evaluation concerned the fundamental Programme aims and their fulfilment presents the failure of agricultural undertaking in the grant requests. As the paper concludes, the authors suggest partial recommendations, in their opinion, for improving the "Programme of Rural Revival" application in the Central Bohemia Region. Keywords: Central Bohemia region, Programme of Rural Revival, analysis of microregions´ requests, grant Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 557-563 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5448-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5448-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200312-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5448-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: E. Kučerová Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Praque, Czech Republic Title: Rural anticipation towards welfare state in Czech Republic Abstract: Although empirical findings show the deterioration of living standards in post- communist countries in the 1990s, there are significant differences in the public opinion about the "welfare state" project in countries where more rigorous liberal reforms were implemented and countries with much slower progression towards the liberal model of capitalism. The Czech Republic with its economic development is still on the symbolic crossways to make a decision about how to approach the welfare state. There is a very actively discussed model of an "active approach" (non-state subjects) to social policy with a residual role of the state. The model should have a chance to a more effective implementation in (small) rural communities where social problems can be better identified and resolved. The questions to be asked are that of the potential of social policy actors to participate in the process and the attitudes and approaches to social policy models in rural communities. It should be asked how the opinion of actors can be evaluated in the process of making a new system of social policy which still remains a "reform from above". The paper follows a preceding qualitative study of the author with a quantitative survey of public opinion on the participation and responsibility in social policy actors' action and acceptance of the welfare state model based on the liberal model of capitalism. The first part provides a review of international studies on rural poverty in post- socialist states. The main part of paper presents results of a quantitative investigation in one Czech rural community where significant social problems of the welfare state project (unemployment, illness, education, age, living conditions) have been studied. Keywords: public opinion, rural community, questionnaire, welfare state Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 564-570 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5449-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5449-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200312-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5449-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: J. Dufek Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Development of regional unemployment characteristics in the Czech Republic Abstract: The paper deals with statistical analysis of the registered regional unemployment rate in regions and districts of the Czech Republic from 1998 to 2002. Regional unemployment reaches significantly different levels; moreover, within the examined period, differences were increasing: variance between the minimum and the maximum increased approx. from 12% to 20% in the respective districts. By means of cluster analysis, regions are divided into more homogenous groups according to the registered unemployment rate by 31 December 2002. The following districts may be identified as the best ones: Praha-západ (Prague-West), Praha-východ (Prague-East), Praha (Prague) and Benešov; the following as the worst ones: Most and Karviná. Concerning regions, the lowest unemployment level may be identified in Praha (Prague); on the contrary, the highest levels were reached in Ústecký region and Moravskoslezský region. Variability, skewness and peak characteristics were calculated to evaluate the development of regional unemployment distribution. The average rose from 5.63% to 9.94%, the standard deviation rose from 2.53% to 4.15%, the variation coefficient stayed around 0.4. Thus, together with the increase in unemployment level, the absolute variability rose while the relative variability stayed approx. constant. The rate distribution was left-sided and increasing; the peak was only slightly higher than the standard peak. The development trend of the characteristics was evaluated by means of linear functions and higher order polynomials; their seasonal variation is described by seasonal indices differing in the degree of their seasonality and distribution in the course of a year. A correlation matrix demonstrates the relations between the trend of the characteristics and their seasonal indices. Keywords: regional unemployment, division of regions in the Czech Republic, distribution characteristics, trend, seasonality Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 571-578 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5450-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5450-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200312-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5450-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: T. Marek Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: T. Martinec Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The use of social and cultural potentials in regional development Abstract: The paper deals with problems of regional (rural) development, especially with social and cultural impact on rural development. In the introductory chapter, authors reviewed economical and sociological concepts related to the Integrated Endogenous Regional Development (IERD). In the main part of the paper, authors discuss the presumptions of successful implementing of the IERD concept in the Czech Republic: 1) How are the opinions of rural people (public opinion) respected in the designed projects; and 2) The responsibility of the project designers to the regionally perceived needs. These two factors should be in harmony. Keywords: development projects, social and cultural potentials, neo-classical theory, theory of growth of poles, post-Keynesian theory, social and cultural capital, integrated endogenous regional development Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 579-582 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5451-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5451-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200312-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5451-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: S. Buchta Author-Workplace-Name: National Labour Office, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Title: Active labour market policy in 2002 Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 583-586 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5452-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5452-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5452-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Kocmánková-Menšíková Author-Name: I. Herová Title: Information on the proceeding and contents of the Autumn School of Rural Sociology Abstract: The actual trends of the political life in the Czech countrysideEnlargement of EUCentral-European perspectivesSocial participation in rural areas. A comparative approachThe social development of Russian countryside under transformation and globalisationForty years of thinking about regional and rural developmentEmpirical approach to the research of social reality Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 587-589 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5453-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5453-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5453-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Kubálek Title: K. Jech: Downfall of the peasant estate 1945-1990 Abstract: Kniha historika Karla Jecha se zabývá mechanismy a prùbìhem tzv. kolektivizace v Československé republice v patnácti letech po II.svìtové válce. Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 590 Volume: 49 Issue: 12 Year: 2003 DOI: 10.17221/5454-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5454-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:49:y:2003:i:12:id:5454-AGRICECON