Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michal LOŠŤÁK Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Humanities, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Helena HUDEČKOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Humanities, Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Preliminary impacts of LEADER+ approach in the Czech Republic Abstract: The paper outlines the backgrounds related to the necessity of searching for the new methods of assessing preliminary impacts of the rural development programmes. That is why the content analysis is tested in this paper for its possibilities to observe the preliminary impacts of one of the rural development tools - the Community initiative LEADER+ in the Czech Republic. The research pointed out that content analysis might be an appropriate method to define some impacts (and also the efficiency) of the LEADER+ approach. The results demonstrated that the transparency and public accountability of some local action groups (LAG) activities are not always on a high level. Also the differences among the LAGs are shown as for their ability to learn the principles of the LEADER+. The method also enabled to estimate how the LEADER+ contributes to eliminate the social exclusion in the countryside. It also pointed out a lower representation of farming oriented projects in the LEADER+ approach. The content analysis reflected the transfer of the best practices among the territories and also the possible knowledge of the public about the LEADER+ approach and about the projects implemented in this initiative. Keywords: rural development impacts, content analysis, LEADER+ Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 249-265 Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/27/2010-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/27/2010-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201006-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:56:y:2010:i:6:id:27-2010-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Aldona ZAWOJSKA Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics and Economic Policy, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Warsaw, Poland Title: Determinants of farmers' trust in government agricultural agencies in Poland Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of farmers' trust toward state agricultural agencies in Poland, to identify its determinants and to develop a model illustrating the relationship between trust and the different dimensions of the agencies performance. Specifically this study looks at two agencies: the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Market Agency. Data were obtained from responses to a set of questions asked of the nationwide sample of 200 Polish farmers in December 2006-January 2007. The farmers' evaluations according to a range of statements about the agencies were measured using ten-point Likert scale. Partial Least Squares Path Modelling was employed to estimate the latent (theoretical) variables such as trust, image, performance, satisfaction etc. Additionally, descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages and means as well as correlation coefficients were applied. Evidence is presented that the trust of farmers in the institutions of state, represented here by two agricultural agencies, is statistically correlated with the image of the agencies, respondents' expectations and their satisfaction about the way the agencies work as well as with perceived value of the services and programmes provided by the agencies. Farmer's socio-economic characteristics (gender, education, the period of their interaction with the agencies, farm size) did not relate to trust score with the exception of age. Causality analysis showed that trust towards both agencies was significantly impacted by their image with the customers. Trust had significant impact on the overall satisfaction with the ARMA. Keywords: trust, image, satisfaction, perception, government agency, farmers, Poland Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 266-283 Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/103/2009-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/103/2009-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201006-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:56:y:2010:i:6:id:103-2009-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Stanislav BUCHTA Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Zuzana FEDERIČOVÁ Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Title: Diversification into non-agricultural activities under the conditions of Slovakia Abstract: The paper analyzes the diversification into non-agricultural activities in the Slovak agriculture. It describes the diversification activities according to the Farm Structure Survey. In 2007, every third farm performed other gainful activities. The paper analyzes the public expenditures paid to the diversification in the pre-integration and post-integration period and reveals the covering of the beneficiaries in the past and new programming period. The conclusion presents the attitudes and opinions of the Diversification Measure beneficiaries connected with the evaluation of the implementing means and other aspects joined with the implementation of diversification activities within the sectoral programme documents. Keywords: diversification, European funds, sectoral programme documents, beneficiaries' opinions on diversification, impacts and effects of diversification Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 284-291 Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/77/2009-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/77/2009-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201006-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:56:y:2010:i:6:id:77-2009-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jakub HUSÁK Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Economics and Management, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Regional policy of the European Communities and cross-border cooperation within the South Bohemia Region Abstract: The paper is focused on the problems of the cross-border cooperation and the regional policy of the European Communities and the implementation of theoretical issues in the South Bohemia Region. The main aim of this paper is to compare the cross-border cooperation and its influence on the regional development of the South Bohemia Region between the 2004-2006 programming period (after the accession of the Czech Republic to the European Communities) and the 2007-2013 programming period. The paper also provides the typology of the realised cross-border projects from the perspectives of the number of projects and also their financial allocation. The results document the increasing importance of the cross-border cooperation and its highly positive impact on the social and economic development of the South Bohemia Region. Keywords: cross-border cooperation, regional policy, the South Bohemia Region Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 292-300 Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/15/2010-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/15/2010-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201006-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:56:y:2010:i:6:id:15-2010-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: P. Kment Author-Name: J. Čopík Title: Zoran Gudović (2008): Countryside and peasantry Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 301-302 Volume: 56 Issue: 6 Year: 2010 DOI: 10.17221/29/2010-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/29/2010-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:56:y:2010:i:6:id:29-2010-AGRICECON