Defended dissertations

Author: Markéta Bobková

Main research question: What are the current conditions for shaping co-operative links in tourism and which are the factors influencing the process of their formation?

Abstract:

The dissertation focuses on the issue of destination management, which is one of the current research topics in the field of tourism. This issue is connected with the effort to strengthen the cooperation of tourism actors in the destination and to increase the destination competitiveness. However, for more detailed understanding of the characteristics of mutual interactions and aspects of cooperative behaviour, the theory of destination management is extended by a new concept of destination governance. The background of this concept in conjunction with the synthesis of institutional economics and network theory knowledge provides a theoretical and methodological basis for the dissertation research and for answering research questions. The aim of the dissertation is to evaluate whether cooperative links in the conditions of the Czech Republic have a character that would correspond to the concept of destination governance. The dissertation represents an innovative approach based on the application of network analysis. A certain modification is the study of the specific links among the actors in the virtual space during the creation of the tourism product. The results of the quantitative analyses are supported by findings from the questionnaire survey. Depending on the socioeconomic context, the dissertation confirms the generally lower level of cooperation and willingness of the actors to enter into cooperative relations.

Author: Ondřej Petr

Main research question: How can the regional differentiation of the demographic development of rural areas of the Czech Republic be evaluated from the increased heterogeneity of the rural area?

Abstract:

The dissertation focuses on demographic trends and sectoral transformation of rural areas of the Czech Republic, their relationship, regional differentiation and relevance for making public policies. The whole study is characterized by high spatial detail of data processed and correction of dataset for changes in territorial-administrative structure within the reporting period. Important starting point of the work is the construction of alternative model of definition of rural areas, which has an ambition to overcome some of the typical shortcomings of conventional approaches. The dissertation confirms the existence of significant regional differentiation of demographic trends and sectoral transformation in rural areas, the link between those processes is also evident. Processing is accompanied by accentuation of the importance of the topic for rural development support and creating a complex and effective public policies, including the identification of examples of using the findings. Among the sub-outputs can be named eg. the construction of alternative model of definition of rural areas and its categorization, regionalization of rural areas based on their sectoral transformation and/or development of residential and production functions. The dissertation is strongly supported by cartographic outputs.

Author: Vilém Pařil

Main research question: How to identify environmental impacts of selected road transport infrastructure projects?

Abstract:

The key research question of this dissertation lies in a problem if based on the assessment of environmental cost economy (as minimization of inputs or frugality to the environment) it is possible to make a decision on least cost solution in view of environmental, investment and operational cost (that includes its comparison). The consequential key goal of dissertation is to perform spatial identification of relevant environmental impacts caused by realization of road transport infrastructure projects in view of routes itself and in view of the burden for affected municipalities. The dissertation is focused on evaluation of complex environmental impacts caused by selected road transport infrastructure projects. The project view in this work keeps the principle of whole routing assessment for individual roads, not only separated parts or passages. The subject of this work rests in complete express road network in the Czech Republic (including the roads planned and under construction). The second hierarchical road level is based on regional second class road (which mean the highest regional road level in regional governance). These regional roads are defined geographically in the Cohesion region of Southeast. The second fulfilled condition is the connection of regional road to regional Administration Center. In the view of environmental impacts following components are included: land grabbing, forest grabbing, impacts on important natural sites, impact on water protection area and impacts on population concerning noise and air pollution. There is discussion and confrontation of two different approaches in this work (spatial and economical). Both of them are based on diverse foundations and both use various methodological frameworks with dissimilar limitations. Nevertheless the discussion of the results indicates the relevance and correspondence of both types of results. Thus mutual complementarity can be determined to reach complex information as support decision instrument for public investment. Discussion of limits of achieved results points out the need to use another supplementary and complementary research instruments and approaches (e.g. institutional).

Author: Lucie Winklerová

Main research question: What are the barriers for developing the innovation potential of the Czech regions?

Abstract:

The aim of the dissertation thesis "Barriers to regional development" is to identify the obstacles to regional development which are specified as barriers to innovation potential development of the Czech regions. To achieve this aim it was necessary to divide the barriers into four groups regarding their character, origin, potential elimination and their location in relation to the region. Then these obstacles were analysed regarding main actors of innovation processes. The focus was on the research and development, but also the barriers were evaluated from the perspective of companies. For completeness, the research focused on the agents who offer new knowledge in practice. In this case the accent was put on the barriers to technology transfer. The empiric part of the thesis deals with the determination of the innovation potential of the Czech regions and its influencing by the low economic performance and low social environment level. For this purpose, the statistical data were used, specifically average values of indicators for the period 2013-2015. It has been proved that the low economic performance is a more determining barrier to innovation potential than the low social environment level. With respect to this, the economic performance is more limiting for the innovation potential increase, and thereby for development of the region.