Agricultural Economics, 2008 (vol. 54), issue 11
Diversification strategy in small and medium size agribusinesses in the Czech Republic - impulses for searching business opportunities
J. Hron, J. Štůsek, M. Arnošt, J. Huml
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):505-509 | DOI: 10.17221/267-AGRICECON 
Abstract: The paper derives from the working and publication activities from research project "Chances of product diversification on behalf of improvement of competitive advantage in the small and middle-size farming business in the Czech Republic". This paper deals with the critical success factors for successful diversification at the small and middle-size farming business. For the purpose effective implementation of the diversification have been identified the principal influences of this issue. Besides of that, we have tried to measure a diversification's impact for an entrepreneurial profit in agricultural area. There is a definition of "diversification"...
Economic results of agricultural holdings in less favoured areas
F. Střeleček, J. Lososová, R. Zdeněk
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):510-520 | DOI: 10.17221/266-AGRICECON
The profit/loss of agricultural holdings in the LFA is decreased due to worse conditions of climate and production. This disadvantage should be compensated by the "compensatory payments" in the LFA that should support the continuous using of agricultural land and preserving the rural region. The prepared delimitation of the LFA should be created according to the analyses of the possible impacts and the proper evaluation of the current state as its impacts will significantly influence the competitiveness of agricultural holdings. This paper summarises the results of the economic indicators analysis of agricultural holdings in the Czech Republic in the...
The efficiency assessment of food safety in China's agriculture: a case study of the rice sector
Zhang Tao
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):521-528 | DOI: 10.17221/265-AGRICECON
Rice is the main food in China's home consumption and plays an important role in its food security. But, how is the status of food safety and environmental efficiency in China's agriculture? Obviously, an incorrect manner of pesticide application will hold negative effects on human health and environment. In this article, we develop an analytical framework based on the Luenberger DEA method to calculate the output technical efficiency and input environmental efficiency simultaneously. In the second-stage analysis, the stochastic frontier model is used to estimate the impact of explanatory variables and managerial efficiency on efficiency. We apply...
Evaluating the knowledge, relevance and experience of expert decision makers utilizing the Fuzzy-AHP
S. Aly, I. Vrana
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):529-535 | DOI: 10.17221/264-AGRICECON
The reliance on experts' decision is considered a very efficient solution especially in case of ill-structured and vague decision making situations. This necessitates being able to identify the expert or experts group whose decision must be particularly assigned a greater weight or importance. This paper is concerned with a method of how to determine the weights of a group of expert decision makers, taking into account the vagueness associated with such evaluation.
Economic differentiation in Slovak agriculture
Z. Chrastinová
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):536-545 | DOI: 10.17221/262-AGRICECON
Results of agriculture suggest that a typical feature of this industry is economical differentiation of agricultural enterprises and product sectors. In contrast to the expectations at the time of entering the market environment, a more significant levelling of economic results has not yet taken place. Just as before 1990, natural conditions are still the crucial factor of the differentiated efficiency of agriculture and its product sectors, followed by the legal form of farming, agricultural land concentration; as well as the performance of managers, i.e. the organisation and management of enterprises. The evaluation of enterprises was performed through...
Knowledge maps in agriculture and rural development
H. Brožová, T. Šubrt, J. Bartoška
Agric. Econ. - Czech, 2008, 54(11):546-552 | DOI: 10.17221/263-AGRICECON
The possibility of knowledge maps use in the decision-making process in agriculture and rural development is discussed in this paper. Each knowledge map presents a visualization of knowledge using different tools, where a mathematical model can be applied as one of them. The hierarchical structure of a knowledge map conforms to the general structure of a mathematical model. The mathematical model, when successfully solved and correctly read, is a knowledge map in itself. The parallels exist also between the creation process of a mathematical model and of a knowledge map. In general, every phase of a system approach can lead to a special knowledge map....