Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Tomáš DOUCHA Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Ivan Foltýn Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jaroslav HUMPÁL Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Profitability of dairy and suckler cows breeding on Czech farms Abstract: The EU Common Agricultural Policy enables to provide coupled payments for cattle breeding. The article compares the profitability in dairy cows and suckler cows breeding under the Czech agricultural policy and market conditions. It is approved that particularly very large farms with an extensive suckler cows breeding on permanent grassland are oversupported and realize rents. Based on the analytical results, suggestions to distribute the supports more effectively and fairly, particularly those under the Council Regulation (EC) No. 73/2009, Article 68, are presented. Keywords: Czech agricultural policy, profitability, dairy cows, suckler cows, permanent grassland Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 397-408 Volume: 58 Issue: 9 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/181/2011-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/181/2011-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201209-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:58:y:2012:i:9:id:181-2011-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Gaetano MARTINO Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Agricultural Economics and Food Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy Author-Name: Rossella PAMPANINI Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Agricultural Economics and Food Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy Author-Name: Francesca MORBIDELLI Author-Workplace-Name: Deptartment of Agricultural Economics and Food Sciences, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy Title: Integration policy in the agri-food chains: theory and empirical evidences Abstract: The paper considers the problem of the organizational adaptation of the supply chain in the face of the emerging inducement to integration. We focus on the policy intervention aimed at achieving a closer coordination among the chain agents and consider the relation between the policy and the spontaneous processes undertaken by the agents. A framework based on four dimensions (state of alignment, enforcement procedures, responsibility and stability) is proposed. This framework supports the hypothesis that the effectiveness of the policy intervention depends on the possibilities of the existence of hybrid governance structures. We analyze the agents' attitudes toward integration and propose two case studies on two integration projects carried out in Central Italy. The results of our study corroborate the hypothesis and suggest that integration entails many supply chain management components. However, our findings suggest that the policy intervention may face limits due to the processes undertaken by the agents. Keywords: agri-food chains integration, hybrids, coordination, stability, decision rights Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 409-424 Volume: 58 Issue: 9 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/80/2011-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/80/2011-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201209-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:58:y:2012:i:9:id:80-2011-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jaroslav HAVLÍČEK Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Martin PELIKÁN Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš ŠUBRT Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty of Economics and Management, University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: New businesses for small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) Abstract: The development of renewable energy producers in rural areas creates new job opportunities for the countryside population. The decentralized manner of renewable energy in small cities is one of the ways how to meet the rural and small scale energy needs in a reliable, affordable and environmentally sustainable way. In 2010, the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague has finished the participation in the European IEE project RES COMPASS. In mutual cooperation, with seven partners from the Great Britain, France, Spain, Greek and Finland, the University has been involved in the extensive research concerning the impact of the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) on the future European labour market. The RES COMPASS project meets the objectives expressed by the New Skills for New Jobs Initiative of the EU and stressed also other initiatives, namely the Green Jobs Initiative, the UNEP initiative as well as the requirements of the International Trade Union Confederation and the International Organization of Employers in 2008. The RES COMPASS programme strategy was based on the implementation steps in three mutually supportive components: The first component Comparative analysis of the methods of identification of skill needs on the future labour market based on the renewable energy sources was concerned in the young generation of the today's students. The second component Career Orientation test was developed as a tool for the potential young people thinking about a future career in the emerging area of renewable energy. The third component focused on the future business opportunities for small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the RES sector. The paper informs about findings of the third component New businesses for SMEs in the RES. Realistic possibilities of the development of SMEs appear to exist in the provision of more complex services reacting to (1) needs of more rapid renovation of the morally depreciated devices, (2) interest of inhabitants and producers in the installations of at least two different autonomous alternative energy sources, (3) creation of informal groups of users who will share various energy sources, (4) need to support the installation of energy devices with other measures - energy audits and projects. Keywords: renewable energy sources (RES), market job opportunities, small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs), questioning, managed interview, shared RES Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 425-432 Volume: 58 Issue: 9 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/116/2011-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/116/2011-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201209-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:58:y:2012:i:9:id:116-2011-AGRICECON Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Miloslav DELIN Author-Workplace-Name: Human Resources in Agriculture and Rural Areas, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Information, Brno, Czech Republic Title: The role of farmers in Local Action Groups: The case of the national network of the Local Action Groups in the Czech Republic Abstract: The social inclusion of different rural population groups is one of the objectives of the Rural Development Programme of the Czech Republic for the period of 2007-2013. The fourth axis of this programme is devoted to the LEADER method and, as such, it establishes and supports an inclusive and participative bottom-up approach. This article is concerned especially with a specific social group of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs, and the position of this group in the local action groups that constitute the National Network of the Local Action Groups (LAGs) in the Czech Republic. With regard to this subject, the role of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in LAGs was analysed using a questionnaire-based survey and testing a hypothesis of external and internal inclusion/exclusion (see Thuesen 2010) of farmers into/from local action groups. The results show that the level of participation differs in the local action groups, but generally speaking the position of agricultural subjects is decreasing off the subjects from the different spheres (especially NGOs). Keywords: social inclusion, social exclusion, farmers, agricultural entrepreneurship, LEADER, National Network of the Local Action Groups in the Czech Republic Journal: Agricultural Economics Pages: 433-442 Volume: 58 Issue: 9 Year: 2012 DOI: 10.17221/148/2011-AGRICECON File-URL: http://agricecon.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/148/2011-AGRICECON.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/age-201209-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlage:v:58:y:2012:i:9:id:148-2011-AGRICECON