Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: O. Rejnuš Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: The present significance of commodity exchange trading in the conditions of the current world economy Abstract: The paper discusses the importance of commodity exchange trading while placing a special emphasis on the increasingly close interconnection between commodity markets and financial instruments markets. The aim of the paper is to prove that at present, commodity markets cannot be seen as strictly separate from markets trading in financial instruments, as there are increasingly close links between the two, which effectively lead to the transfer of financial resources invested in the financial market into the real economy. The paper analyses the most significant ties that already exist between the commodities and financial investment instruments in the financial and capital market, as well as the links that are very likely to come into existence in the near future. In the concluding part, there is a summary of the reasons that will necessarily lead to a further world-wide development of commodity exchange trading and a prediction of the lines along which this development is likely to take place. Keywords: commodities, commodity exchanges, speculation, hedging, futures, collective investment funds, structured products, commodity exchange indexes, underlying assets, commodity derivatives, investment certificates, structured bonds Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 497-502 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5056-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5056-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5056-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: L. Lustigová Author-Workplace-Name: University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: P. Kušková Author-Workplace-Name: University of Economics, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Ecological footprint in the organic farming system Abstract: This text aims to introduce the results of the ecological footprint (EF) calculations in the system of organic agriculture (OA). The EF is an alternative indicator of the human activity impact on the environment. It is not calculated in monetary units but in hectares as an area needed for resourcing certain production or activity. OA is an agricultural system which respects natural cycles in ecosystems. It is based on old traditions and nowadays, with regard to environmental degradation, comes again forward. The text contains as well the results of some other researches studying mainly energy consumption in agriculture, which is further converted into the EF. The results, however, need to be compared very carefully, since the procedures of calculations as well as the organic farming rules in various countries or particular farms conditions and quality of input data of the mentioned studies may significantly differ. The authors cite them mainly because of illustrative reasons. Keywords: ecological footprint (EF), organic agriculture (OA), ecologically (biologically) productive area, energy consumption Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 503-509 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5057-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5057-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5057-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: M. Prášilová Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: J. Šulc Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Agricultural price statistics in the Czech Republic Abstract: Price indices of agricultural producers and forestry price indices were revised in the year 2000. The process in question involved a revision of the set of commodities and re-basing of the current base period to the new base period effective for the calculation of agricultural price indices. The weighting scheme of products and their aggregated groups has been changed. The contribution deals with the analysis of a new project regarding the construction of price indices of agricultural producers according to the Eurostat methodology. This project shows different approaches in measuring the weighting schemes of seasonal products and products without seasonality. Keywords: price agricultural statistics, state statistical report, price index, aggregation of prices, weighting scheme Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 510-515 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5058-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5058-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5058-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: A. Veselý Author-Workplace-Name: Czech University of Agriculture, Prague, Czech Republic Title: On the representation of expert procedural knowledge Abstract: Procedural knowledge is used by experts for complex system control. In this article, the notion of a complex system is taken in a broad sense. It might be a patient cured by a physician specialist, a biotechnological device, a department of some business enterprise etc. The GLIF model was designed in collaboration of American universities for the formalization of medical guidelines, but it can be used for formal representation of any procedural knowledge. The main objective of the GLIF model was to enable computer processing and comparing of medical guidelines. In this, article also a more sophisticated use of procedural knowledge representation by the means of the GLIF model is proposed. The provided data about expert actions are stored into the database, the formalized knowledge represented by the GLIF model can be used for building up sophisticated reminder systems that warn the user if he decides to make an impropriate action. Different kinds of warnings in the reminder system are proposed and their properties are discussed. At the end, also the possibility of using the GLIF model for decision support is discussed. Keywords: representation of knowledge, reminder system, GLIF model, GLIF browser Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 516-521 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5059-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5059-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5059-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: H. Součková Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Agricultural Economics, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Supporting programmes of the growing of short rotation coppices in the Czech Republic Abstract: This article presents some partial conclusions from the solution to the Research Project QF 4142 Higher exploitation of non-food production in the industry. The funding and supporting programmes of the growing of short rotation coppices (SRC) are described. The establishment of short rotation coppices and the subsequent exploitation of wood mass are promising trends of diversification of farmers' activities in the rural space. Plot sizes in ha and financial support to the establishment of the SRC plantations are given for 2001-2004, when a total of 166 ha of supported short rotation coppices was established. The establishment support is paid at a single installment while the amount paid for the establishment of the SRC production plantation is 60 000 CZK/ha and the amount paid for the establishment of mother plantation (reproduction plantation) is 75 000 CZK/ha. Keywords: non-food production, supports, renewable energy resources, short rotation coppices Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 522-531 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5060-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5060-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5060-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ľ. Nagyová Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: M. Foret Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: M. Kročanová Author-Workplace-Name: Slovak Agricultural University, Nitra, Slovak Republic Title: Lifestyle changes and their influence on customer behavior Abstract: Globalization in trade, the continual expansion of the significant European and world-wide foreign trade networks into the countries of Middle andEastern Europe and the rise in the number of shopping and entertainment centres cause changes in consumer behavior in the Slovak, as well as in theCzechRepublic. Results of the marketing researches conducted by the Slovak Agricultural University employees in Nitra and the Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry employees in Brno in the Polus and Aupark shopping and entertainment centres of Bratislava and the Olympia centre of Brno Modřice in 2006 gave us some more detailed information about the social-demographic features and consumer orientation in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Shopping in shopping - entertainment centres in both countries is becoming a part of the present lifestyle, spending free time and having fun. Keywords: consumer behavior, shopping-entertainment centre, trade, questionnaire research Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 532-538 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5061-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5061-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5061-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: K. Ryglová Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: O. Dufek Author-Workplace-Name: Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Congressional service provider's potential evaluation methodology and rural development Abstract: This paper concerns the methodology formation for evaluating the service provider's potential in the area of congressional services. Congress tourism is an economically effective and a very prestigeous event. That is why advanced countries and world famous cities are interested in the top-class congress tourism. For the city which houses the congress it means not only income to its budget but also new job opportunities. We have tried to quantify the congressional provider's potential through indexes. We have created the Index of Congressional Service Provider's Potential ICP.This methodology can also be used in rural development. Keywords: congress tourism, index of congressional service provider's potential Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 539-544 Volume: 52 Issue: 11 Year: 2006 DOI: 10.17221/5062-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/5062-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-200611-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:52:y:2006:i:11:id:5062-AGRICECON