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The consumption of the organic food in the Czech Republic is, in spite of its permanent growth, still on a very low level. The reasons are both on the side of supply and demand of organic food. The reasons on the side of the supply are especially the insufficient amount and the structure of the organic products. Demand is not met especially in the case of the livestock products, further also in the fruits, vegetables, bread, pastry and others. The lack of the organic food is solved by imports. The important factor is also the lack of the processing capacities, especially for meat and dairy products. The sale is provided under the way of short-term contracts. The prices that the organic farmers get for their products fall short of the quality of products. The main distribution channels are the supermarkets. The organic products are here, however, only the marginal products. For the increase of the supply, the advertising and advertisement should be intensified. The demand is obstructed especially by the low consumer awareness, while the consumers are not sufficiently familiar with the quality of the organic products and are not willing to pay higher price for the higher quality of foodstuff.

Decision-making process of households on food consumption is discussed in the post-Keynesian theory of household choice. Since the core assumption of uncertainty is employed, the set of consumption alternatives is restricted to the subset of the known ones. When searching for these alternatives, the consumer faces the search costs expressed by time of search. The sample of Czech households was investigated to ascertain the volume of the search and 57% of households do not seek for any information that are relevant for decision-making on foodstuff purchase. To overcome this activity, the households more likely rely on prices and the range of goods of the closest sellers to them. Searching for information on product is replaced by reliance on habits and recommendations of the others. On the contrary, the uncertainty of real purchase power is of lower significance in food consumption, because the foodstuffs meet the basic physiological needs and dispose of constrained stability in storage. Thus, households cannot always postpone (or bring forward) their consumption. In order to deal with the lack of money, households from lower income levels reduce their expenditures for foodstuffs more often than those from the higher income levels. Consequently, the relationship between the level of income and needs satiation is outlined.

The identification of the improvement areas and utilization of information and communication technologies in agriculture, as the support of the agricultural development in line with the environmental sustainability criteria, have gained importance and priority in our knowledge driven society. Rules define constraints, conditions and policies of how the business processes are to be performed but they also affect the behavior of the resource and facilitate the strategic business goals achieving. They control the business and represent business knowledge. The article deals with business rules and rule technology and identifies the business and technical opportunities they afford company. It shows also how to specify and classify business rules from the business perspective and to establish an approach to managing them that will enable a faster change in business processes and other business concepts in particular business in agricultural area. This article could provide business analysts with an essential approach to understanding, redesigning and communicating what really happens in the business processes.

In Slovakia, agricultural enterprises have applied the organic way of production from the 90s of the 20th century. We can state that the production of organic products has been improved. More than 90% of organic agricultural products are oriented towards export markets or conventional production. There are only a few storages with eco-products in the Slovak Republic. The paper deals with the factors of the successfulness in the market with organic products from the viewpoint of the vertical line "agricultural enterprise - processor - trade - consumer". These relate to the active market with eco-products in Slovakia.

This paper deals with the analysis of the trends in costs and revenues of selected agricultural products grown and bred under the conditions of organic agriculture. The analysis of the trends in revenues and costs is performed for the cattle breeding, beef cows and for the plant production of spelt, oat and potatoes. Costs are evaluated in the relationship with the direct and indirect costs. Revenues are traced with the help of per hectare yield, efficiency and market prices. Data of the selected file of the organically farming companies for the controlled commodities are compared with the same commodities of the selected file of the conventionally farming companies worked by the Research Institute of Agricultural Economics (RIAE) in Prague.

The paper deals with identification of some forms of potential competitive advantage that can be applied by the Slovak agrarian enterprises after the accession to the EU. The capacity of the economies of scale is being analyzed, as well as the potential of the labor productivity growth, and input management in controlling of intensification process. The paper is targeted at verifying the extent of application of competitive advantages by agrarian enterprises, and identifying the reasons of obstacles that hinder their full utilization.

"The International Year of Microcredit 2005 underscores the importance of microfinance as an integral part of our collective effort to meet the Millennium Development Goals. Sustainable access to microfinance helps to alleviate poverty by generating income…" (Kofi Anan). One of the important factors which influence disbursement of public debts in the LDCs are Microfinancing institutions. The article characterizes the progress of discharge of bankrupt from the macroeconomic point of view, and in the situation for microfinancing industry. One of the main question is when and under what conditions it is the suitable to accelerate the transformation of informal MFIs to formal institutions. In the conclusion, the basic conditions and hypothesis, which are necessary for functioning of formal MFIs, are mentioned.

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.

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.

For many company managers, company crises are associated with the time when the very existence of the company is discussed. In literature, however, crisis is sometimes viewed as a potential opportunity for the company. This article presents the findings of the survey the purpose of which was to confirm or reject the hypothesis that crisis might become an opportunity for the company. The hypothesis being proven true, the survey further focused on the identification of factors that help companies overcome crisis situations and improve their competitive position with respect to that held before the crisis.

A basic presumption of sustainable economic development of every branch is an efficient use of production factors. As a decisive production factor, it is possible to consider labour which actives other production. In such a way, labour creates sources for reproduction and improvement of other production factors; i.e. it creates sources for sustainable economic development. Efficiency of labour use as a production factor is generally evaluated by the level of labour productivity. To express its level, various indicators are used. Using the indicator of gross agricultural production per one worker, labour productivity grows, even with the decrease of production. The growth factor is there the decreasing number of workers. Using the indicator of value added per one worker, resp. per 1 CZK of labour costs, labour productivity decreases. Market factor lowers labour productivity on both input and output sides. The contribution issues from solving of the institutional research intention CEZ: J03/98: 411100013 "Efficient integration of Czech agrarian sector into the frame of European structures - presumption of sustainable development".

The aim of this paper is to summarize the results of the EU Phare ACE research project P97-8158-R, "Micro-economic analysis of farm restructuring in Central and Eastern Europe", that tries to fill the gap of theoretical as well as empirical research into the implications of continuing and evolving farm restructuring in CEECs on the efficiency of the agricultural production sector and the development of rural areas by focusing on the economic decisions and perspectives of farm operators, asset owners and rural households. For this purpose, surveys among family farms and farm enterprises were carried out in 2000 in Albania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Recent literature and research on social capital has demonstrated the economic importance of social features, such as trust and norms that facilitate cooperation. This article focuses on the role of social capital in the context of the Czech agricultural sector. Obtaining credit, sharing machinery, and proliferating information serves as examples where an awareness and reliance on the social capital of rural communities matter. By forming groups and strengthening existing networks, Czech farmers can improve their productivity, as well as their welfare. The article concludes by warning that the Czech state cannot invest directly in social capital, but should create the necessary legal and economic incentives to encourage the formation of social capital.

Environmental analysis in the winegrowing industry is necessary for strategic management of businesses in this industry. The paper is focused on PEST analysis and pays attention to individual factors. It emphasizes the necessity of adjustment of the Czech legislation to the EU conditions, fulfilment of its conditions, e.g. compulsory registration of vineyards. In the field of economics, it is necessary to pay attention to renovation of vineyards with the help of subsidies from the state budget because the industry contributes to keeping the cultural level of the region and the human resources on the territory. It can be also a source of the environmental pollution. The technology of vine processing follows the changes in viniculture, changes of growing-technology and of the structure of white and red varieties. In conditions of the Czech Republic, it means to gradually transfer to production of quality varieties of vines by gradual renovation, which has to be a priority. The winegrowing sector is the industry with the highest value added also in the Czech Republic, and its share in the total agricultural production in a region can reach a significant level.

The article deals with the preparation of the agricultural business structure for accession into the European agrarian structures in the pre-accession period. Main attention is devoted to the preparation of agrarian management and to changes in the macroeconomic area. From the viewpoint of the information mentioned above, the paper includes the explanation of the agrarian functions in the agrarian sector and prediction of the development of business base in the sectors of agriculture, food processing industry and services. The synthetic part deals with the integration and globalization tendencies in the agricultural and food production.

The complex solution of farming in worse natural conditions and exploitation of land fund result from the successive transformation of agricultural policy and the preparation of agrarian sector for the accession of Slovakia into the European Union. The character of this policy will have the immediate impact on economy mainly of enterprises farming in less-favoured areas (LFA). In the study, we present the actual data about the allocation of agricultural land and agricultural farms into the LFA using the database of information system on land and the soil quality database which is managed by the Research Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics.

The market extension generally affects growth performance positively by allowing an expansion of markets, by increasing outside competition as well as by more rapid diffusion of new products, processes and research output between national economies. The positive effects of considerable market on productivity are indubitable. However, two other weighty phenomena of the process are necessary to investigate, effects of regulatory policy and market power exhibits. Agriculture as a sector belongs to those, where the support policies exist for a long time. Nevertheless, the last decades have witnessed considerable changes in this sector among most of developed countries and their agricultural/regulatory policies. It has been perceived, that the agriculture for 21st century cannot be separated from the other components of agri-food sector. The economic importance of the processing and finalization stages (i.e. food industry and food distribution) has increased over time. There are concerned inter-relationships between the market structures development and the crucial factors of the interconnected markets developments in the framework of production verticals of agricultural commodities. Reflecting the steadily more sophisticated supply side behaviour, solution is based upon the demand oriented approach explaining changes of the position of agriculture within the agri-food chain. Conflict of interest between the regulatory/agricultural policy and the market power of input supply and output processing firms and retail notably has increased dramatically. Economic manifestation of the increasing market power on the demand side as well as the impact of market interrelationships and change of policy regulation efficiency within commodity chains are characterised there. The position of agriculture within the agri-food chain has changed and the influence of farmers has decreased. Success of agricultural enterprises in achieving their operational goals is still more influenced by improvements in productivity and by competitiveness of other "links" of the agri-food chain.

This paper discusses the potential effects of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on the various branches of the agricultural sector in the four OECD member Central European Countries (CECs), i.e. the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic. The estimation of the effect of the domestic sectoral policies harmonisation with the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and its impact on the farming sector, consumers of agricultural commodities and taxpayers, is based on the data from the OECD quantitative analysis of support to agriculture.

The article deals with an optimisation of the relation between production and non-production functions of agriculture. In the model, a two-product production process is presupposed, the result of which is agricultural production and a complex of other effects arising in agriculture. To obtain them, two aggregated inputs - capital and labour - are used. To maximise the summary economic result, the procedure of derivation of the optimal extent of both production processes proceeding as well as non-production effects in minimisation of both inputs in their summary is worked out in the article. In the article, the knowledge of the research gained in framework of solution of the institutional research intention MSM: 411100013 "Efficient integration of the Czech agrarian sector into the frame of the European structures - presumption of sustainable development" is included.

Vertical integration within agricultural and food sector is one of the decisive factors influencing market structure and competitiveness of agriculture. There are two groups of motives for vertical integration. Motive of efficiency is based on the effort to minimise production cost or transaction cost. Market power is not solely the result of horizontal expansion, but if variable inputs are considered, vertical integration may contribute to market power and so to growing share in consumer price. The article analyses and methodologically specifies these motives for vertical integration and determines possibilities of quantification of the effects of vertical integration.

The paper provides some of the interim results of the Fifth Framework PRISMA project dealing with the of impact ICT on government and citizen services in Europe. The analysis and the concept description of long-term strategies for eGovernment and a long-term vision over 10 years for eGovernment are described. Activities performed by the government are analysed from the demand ("front office") and supply ("back office") point of view. Recommendations for long-term strategic decisions are based on three scenarios of the future European development till 2010: (1) "Prosperous and just Europe", (2) "Turbulent world", (3) "Recession and reorientation".

Sustainable development in regarded as the issue and method of solution of a number of global problems, which origined namely in relation to dynamic industrial development and the prominent growth of world population. Sustainable development is, above all, the concept closely related to human attitudes and values. The contribution presents the definition of sustainable development, its modern concept, sustainable development dimensions.

The principal importance and global dimension of sustainable agriculture in frame of a strategy of civilization development is beyond discussion. The actual character of the topic of looking for ways to sustainable development is confirmed by the extensive worldwide program "Millennium Ecosystem Assessment" the purpose of which is to map and subsequently monitor the health of the planet Earth. The contribution is focused on various aspects of the non-substitutable role of agriculture regarding sustainable development on the level of developing and developed countries and on the regional and global level.

Retailers are the strong group both in South Bohemia and in Upper Austria. The development of this sphere is one of the development programmes priorities of both regions. South Bohemia and Upper Austria, especially Muhlviertel region, are areas with a similar economic structure, which is an excellent presupposition for mutual cooperation. An advantage will be the improvement of marketing activity and information transfer. A better technical equipment and its full exploitation will be possible. The problems, however, which could arise from cooperation with foreign partners, should not be underestimated. Not only the language barrier is concerned but also different techniques, methods and expectations that might be caused by different customs and interests of the partners. An important aid to the entrepreneurs, either concerning consultant service, establishing contacts or further education, are economic chambers and other institutions concerned with retail business development.

The study deals with the problems of regional development in Slovakia, with the emphasis on presentation and critical reflexion of specific features and basic developmental tendencies characterizing the regional development in the transformation period (after 1990). The regional development is presented in broader social contexts of the development of the Slovak society, with the emphasis on its modernization stage, as well as the social-economic and social-spatial changes, characterizing the society development in the transformation period. The social and social-spatial implications and impacts of this development on social segments of the society, territorial and regional units and their social potentials are pointed out. In the conclusion, the dispositions of the regions and the developmental trends of the regional development of Slovakia are confronted with the conditions for the information society development.

Currently, the world of business is more and more dominated by companies which possess and know how to exploit their intangible resources, in particular the potential of their employees, to achieve competitiveness. The importance of learning organisations, knowledge organisations and corporate culture has been constantly growing. The article presents the outcomes of a survey carried out with the aim of identifying attitudes of managers of agribusiness organisations to talented people and the role of these people in gaining a competitive advantage. The survey has found that Czech agricultural enterprises are somewhat special in this area and that the existing conditions affect managers' approaches and distinguish them from other large companies in other industries. It has also shown that agricultural companies do not have the same opportunities as large companies to select and develop talented individuals, and therefore these activities should be carried out, to a large extent, by universities.

The contribution deals with the key issues of contemporary food economy development as a system and its economic implication in regard to changing position of agricultural enterprises. It explicates why globalisation and integration processes have changed the structure and the interrelationships along the food commodity chains and have created completely the new economic environment for production agriculture. Based upon the economic theory outcomes the essential topics related to the problems why agriculture is largely influenced by the final stages of agri-food commodity chains are explained there. The active response on the demand structural changes include is perceived as a needful precondition of competitiveness of agricultural enterprises for future in general.