This study presents a new firm- and project-level dataset containing data on over two million projects co-funded by the EU structural and cohesion funds in 25 EU member states during the programming period 2007-2013. Information on individual beneficiary firms and institutions is linked with business data of Bureau van Dijk's ORBIS database. Moreover, text mining techniques are applied to categorise the EU cohesion policy projects into fifteen thematic categories. Stylised facts reveal substantial regional heterogeneity in the distribution of funds to certain projects and beneficiaries (with respect to their size or industry). Furthermore, regional funds distribution differs across less developed and higher-income as well as urban and rural regions. In an econometric analysis, we control for project and firm characteristics that we expect to determine the single project's value, which is confirmed by the results. Nevertheless, there remains unexplained variation in individual project volumes, which differs systematically across countries.

-i- Abstract The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural validation of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) (Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), internationally recognized as useful and contemporary measurement approach to cohesion. The GEQ was originally validated for a sample of North American athletes. In total, the sample consisted of 1 410 adult athletes and trainers (1 019 male and 391 female). A modified direct translation method with protocol analysis was utilised to translate the GEQ from English into Czech. Content validity was analysed and confirmed by content validity ratio method for individual indicators of the questionnaire. The factor structure of the Czech version of the questionnaire, verified by structural equation modelling, did not differ from the original version. The predictive validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by its ability to differentiate between groups of athletes (with diverse levels of perceived successfulness) on the basis of their team cohesion scores. Reliability, measured by the Cronbach's coefficient α, was 0,59-0,69 (for version with positively/negatively worded items) and 0,63-0,79 (for version with positively worded items). The results are discussed in the context of possible cultural differences. For population of the Czech athletes from team...

e Abstract (in English): The aim of the present thesis is to investigate the differences in cohesive devices use in selected Japanese texts of different genes. The English conception of cohesion (based on Halliday and Hasan's "Cohesion in English") is applied to Japanese with several slight modifications and the following devices and their sub-types are examined: reference, substitution, ellipsis, conjunction and lexical cohesion. Using three texts of different genres- book review, newspaper article and a fictional narrative- the assumption of genre-conditioned variation of cohesive devices employment is scrutinized and the distinctions and similitudes are described. The first, general theory part of the thesis presents the basic concepts related to cohesion. In the second part, both English and Japanese perspectives on cohesion are presented. Subsequently, the English (Halliday and Hasan's) concept is evaluated as a more pertinent one and applied in the Japanese textual environment. Subsequent parts of the paper present research questions as well as supporting arguments to the examined underlying assumption and provide an overview of methodology applied in analysis of the selected texts. In the final part, the results concerning cohesion articulation in various genres in Japanese obtained from the analysed...

For this study an attempt was made to bridge the disciplines of linguistics and composition in order to examine factors contributing to textual coherence. Pairs of descriptive texts written by fifty college students were examined in order to identify the factors which differentiate quality and topic. Students were asked to compose a descriptive paragraph on the topic of fall. They were then encouraged to use their five senses, given leaves, and asked to compose a paragraph describing the leaves. The pairs of texts thus elicited were evaluated for preference by readers. The ANOVA revealed a significant difference (p=.001) between the two topics with fall texts preferred over the more specific leaves texts. Results suggest that encouraging students to use their five senses does not improve their writing. It may be more important to move through various levels of abstraction than to merely focus on sensory detail. The texts were also scored holistically by two trained evaluators. Results of this grading were used to choose five high- and five low-coherence texts on each of the two topics. These 20 texts were then analyzed in terms of the tagmemic referential hierarchy. A MANOVA was done to examine the dependent variables of Slot (location in time or space), Role (purpose or reason), and Cohesion (sociocultural context) in relation to quality and topic for these texts. Slot was found to be significant for both quality (p=.025) and topic (p=.004). Role was significant only for quality (p=.001). Cohesion was nonsignificant for either quality or topic. These results suggest that students should: (a) be encouraged to locate their texts in time and space in order to develop an adequate context for readers; (b) be encouraged to include purposes and reasons for the statements they make; and (c) be encouraged, where appropriate, to include a focus on humans and their activities (either literal or figurative) since such reference is a distinguishing feature of high-coherence texts.

-i- Abstract The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural validation of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) (Carron, Widmeyer, & Brawley, 1985), internationally recognized as useful and contemporary measurement approach to cohesion. The GEQ was originally validated for a sample of North American athletes. In total, the sample consisted of 1 410 adult athletes and trainers (1 019 male and 391 female). A modified direct translation method with protocol analysis was utilised to translate the GEQ from English into Czech. Content validity was analysed and confirmed by content validity ratio method for individual indicators of the questionnaire. The factor structure of the Czech version of the questionnaire, verified by structural equation modelling, did not differ from the original version. The predictive validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by its ability to differentiate between groups of athletes (with diverse levels of perceived successfulness) on the basis of their team cohesion scores. Reliability, measured by the Cronbach's coefficient α, was 0,59-0,69 (for version with positively/negatively worded items) and 0,63-0,79 (for version with positively worded items). The results are discussed in the context of possible cultural differences. For population of the Czech athletes from team...

This research study examines the relationship between conjunctive cohesion and relational coherence in students' narrative and expository compositions and writing quality (here defined in terms of teachers' ratings). Altogether 64 compositions were analysed using Halliday and Hasan's (1976) cohesion theory and Crombie's (1985) set of interpropositional relations. The results of the study show that both conjunctive cohesion density and relational coherence, as defined by the density of contiguous functional relations, affect perceptions of writing quality. Writers of low-rated narrative and low-rated expository compositions not only used a more limited range of conjunctives but their compositions manifested less cohesion density and contiguous relation density than writers of high-rated narrative and expository compositions did. / Linguistics / M. A. (Applied Linguistics)

This study analyses the Actorness Cohesion (AC) of the EU’s foreign policy in the United Nations General Assembly First Committee by comparing the EU Delegation foreign policy-maker’s role conceptions to those made by the EU Member State (EU MS) Delegations on the same topic clusters. The concept of AC is developed from actorness and role theory as an ideational, constructivist measure of vertical policy coherence. AC represents the absence of ‘vertical conflicts’ between the EU and EU MS Delegation’s expressed role conceptions along four dimensions; Identity Cohesion, Goal Cohesion and Function Cohesion and Worldview Cohesion. This is studied by interpreting the role stability in the role-set; whether the contents are consistent, the EU role conception is central or whether the EU MS Delegations complement and/or are compatible to the EU role conception. Statements on topic clusters: ‘Disarmament Machinery’, ‘Conventional Weapons’ and ‘Outer Space (disarmament aspects)’ are analysed in order to determine the AC. The study concludes that whilst there is little evidence of the EU Delegation’s role conception being central to the EU MS Delegations, there is considerable consistency of contents. There are also indications of an emerging AC due to the EU MS Delegation’s role conceptions being complementary to that of the EU Delegation. The study calls for more research that will complement this plausibility-probe study and the concept of AC.

This work focuses on evaluation of possible impacts of structural and regional EU policy applied in the Czech Republic. Besides preliminary assessment of the use of economic, social and territorial cohesion policy in the Czech Republic, its aim is to put our national specific approach in the context of the whole European Union. It required not only a general appraisal of single priorities but also direct comparison with impacts of similar measures on the economies of the EU in the past. For this objective, an important part of the work consists in four case studies, analysing the application and impacts of the EU cohesion policy instruments in cohesion countries (Spain, Portugal, Greece, Ireland) since the first programming period 1989--1993 until the current period 2007--2013. With respect to the starting point of these economies and societies I would consider the convergence process to the EU relatively successful. Nevertheless, there are some important differences in the use and impact of the cohesion policy in these four member states. The results show that the impact of the Structural Funds in Spain has been quite sizeable in terms of its contribution to the economic growth and reduction of unemployment. Spain as a whole is approaching the EU average in most of the economic indicators. The convergence of the Portugal economy was markedly less substantial and the disparities increased on the regional level. The significant side effect of spending of Structural Funds in Greece consists mainly in the improvement of the institutional framework and strategic planning. The Irish example points to the importance of using the assistance rather for public goods than for supporting the private sector. The Czech Republic should take an example from this experience. Effects of the EU cohesion policy on the domestic economy could be very significant -- not only for a short-term but also for a long-term perspective. However, it is necessary to be aware of the fact that we are still talking about possible impacts, whose real successful fulfilment depends on individual participants -- whether on the strategic or the final beneficiaries levels.

This research study examines the relationship between conjunctive cohesion and relational coherence in students' narrative and expository compositions and writing quality (here defined in terms of teachers' ratings). Altogether 64 compositions were analysed using Halliday and Hasan's (1976) cohesion theory and Crombie's (1985) set of interpropositional relations. The results of the study show that both conjunctive cohesion density and relational coherence, as defined by the density of contiguous functional relations, affect perceptions of writing quality. Writers of low-rated narrative and low-rated expository compositions not only used a more limited range of conjunctives but their compositions manifested less cohesion density and contiguous relation density than writers of high-rated narrative and expository compositions did. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / M. A. (Applied Linguistics)

The thesis presents several so far unnoticed functions of (not only) Latin vocative. It argues against previous believes that vocative is used either for addresses, calls and summons, evaluation of addressee and emphasis, or is otherwise only conventional, polite, and thus lacking any real function. Firstly, the author describes vocative from the Speech Act Theory view-point and offers definitions of speech acts call and address. In chapters 3 and 4, he pays attention to vocatives so far considered as lacking function. Relying on the analysis mostly of Cicero's speeches and old Roman comedies, he presents two crucial functions of vocative in non-initial position in a text: 1) vocative as a mean of cohesion which helps to make the organization of the text more transparent and which emphasizes the structure of the text; 2) vocative of assurance/guarantee. In chapter 5, several minor functions of vocative are mentioned (mostly of pragmatic character): triumphal vocative, vocative as a disgrace and vocative as a parody. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)