Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Rusek Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, USA Title: European Union: challenges and dilemmas Abstract: In the last two decades, the EU trails behind the USA in both the rate of economic growth and the rate of growth of productivity. In addition, in the next 25 years, the EU will experience demographic challenges in the form of the rapidly ageing population and a substantial increase in the dependency ratio. To answer these challenges, the EU needs economic policies which will facilitate the utilization of new technologies. To do that and to alleviate the growing pressures on the European social and economic model, the significant economic reforms are necessary. The key to that is the EU-wide integration of the financial sector. Keywords: economic growth, demographic challenges, financial integration Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 302-310 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5027-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5027-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5027-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: V. Bečvářová Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Utilisation of subsidy in a program-directed support of agricultural loans Abstract: The paper is focused on the performance measurement of the Support and Guarantee Fund for Farmers and Forestry (SGFFF) as the main instrument of capital reinforcement of Czech agricultural enterprise development. Its principles as well as the function from the point of view of agricultural enterprises, restructuring and allocation of resources and the reason why the subsidies of the supported loans' interest rates have been employed are cleared up there. The results are discussed upon an analysis of the Fund's activity. According to them, it can be claimed that the Fund has became an important part of supports for the agricultural sector development in the last ten years. From the point of view of the criteria of supported loans allocation, it was ascertained that the level of support has not been derived from the different natural and soil qualities primarily. The economic results and a high level of the prosperity have been evaluated as the main criteria for the decision-making system regarding an effective restructuring of agriculture and improving its competitiveness. Keywords: agriculture, competitiveness, loan, interest rate, restructuring, subsidy of primary factors Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 311-320 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5028-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5028-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5028-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Živělová Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Jánský Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: The possibilities of organic food market's development in the Czech Republic Abstract: The consumption of the organic food in the Czech Republic is, in spite of its permanent growth, still on a very low level. The reasons are both on the side of supply and demand of organic food. The reasons on the side of the supply are especially the insufficient amount and the structure of the organic products. Demand is not met especially in the case of the livestock products, further also in the fruits, vegetables, bread, pastry and others. The lack of the organic food is solved by imports. The important factor is also the lack of the processing capacities, especially for meat and dairy products. The sale is provided under the way of short-term contracts. The prices that the organic farmers get for their products fall short of the quality of products. The main distribution channels are the supermarkets. The organic products are here, however, only the marginal products. For the increase of the supply, the advertising and advertisement should be intensified. The demand is obstructed especially by the low consumer awareness, while the consumers are not sufficiently familiar with the quality of the organic products and are not willing to pay higher price for the higher quality of foodstuff. Keywords: organic agriculture, organic market, consumption of organic food, supply for organic food, demand for organic food Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 321-327 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5029-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5029-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5029-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Melicharová Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Decision-making process of households on food consumption Abstract: Decision-making process of households on food consumption is discussed in the post-Keynesian theory of household choice. Since the core assumption of uncertainty is employed, the set of consumption alternatives is restricted to the subset of the known ones. When searching for these alternatives, the consumer faces the search costs expressed by time of search. The sample of Czech households was investigated to ascertain the volume of the search and 57% of households do not seek for any information that are relevant for decision-making on foodstuff purchase. To overcome this activity, the households more likely rely on prices and the range of goods of the closest sellers to them. Searching for information on product is replaced by reliance on habits and recommendations of the others. On the contrary, the uncertainty of real purchase power is of lower significance in food consumption, because the foodstuffs meet the basic physiological needs and dispose of constrained stability in storage. Thus, households cannot always postpone (or bring forward) their consumption. In order to deal with the lack of money, households from lower income levels reduce their expenditures for foodstuffs more often than those from the higher income levels. Consequently, the relationship between the level of income and needs satiation is outlined. Keywords: fundamental uncertainty, incomplete information, optimization, rules of thumb Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 328-334 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5030-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5030-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5030-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: I. Rábová Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Business rules in the agricultural area Abstract: The identification of the improvement areas and utilization of information and communication technologies in agriculture, as the support of the agricultural development in line with the environmental sustainability criteria, have gained importance and priority in our knowledge driven society. Rules define constraints, conditions and policies of how the business processes are to be performed but they also affect the behavior of the resource and facilitate the strategic business goals achieving. They control the business and represent business knowledge. The article deals with business rules and rule technology and identifies the business and technical opportunities they afford company. It shows also how to specify and classify business rules from the business perspective and to establish an approach to managing them that will enable a faster change in business processes and other business concepts in particular business in agricultural area. This article could provide business analysts with an essential approach to understanding, redesigning and communicating what really happens in the business processes. Keywords: business rules, structural rule, operative rule, management of business rules, rule technology, decision table Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 335-340 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5031-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5031-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5031-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Foret Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Procházka Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Behaviour and decision making of Czech consumers when buying beverages Abstract: The article deals with the problem of analysis of the factors that influence the behaviour and decision-making of consumers when buying beverages. The analysis was based on data about consumer behaviour obtained within the period of 1993-2004. The secondary analysis involved data collected within the framework of a marketing research project SHOPPING MONITOR performed by the marketing agencies INCOMA Research and GfK Prague in years 1999-2002. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that hypermarkets were dominating not only as a place of purchasing foodstuffs in general but also as a leading outlet for sale of beverages. Czech consumers preferred Czech brands of beverages and there was a new trend in increasing purchases of tea, juices and mineral water on the one hand and coffee and wine on the other. This indicates a change in consumption habits and reflects an interest in a healthier life style. Keywords: consumer behaviour, marketing research, outlets, beverages, preferences Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 341-346 Volume: 52 Issue: 7 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5032-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5032-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200607-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:7:id:5032-AGRICECON