My thesis inquires into the structure of Italian economy. The goal was to reveal the main factors from the past which affected the contemporary economy of Italy. The Italian economy is specific for it's big number of small and medium enterprises. I analysed the role of this kind of enterprises in the economy and described the impact of financial crisis.The structural problems of this economy such as low level of competitiveness, demographic problem, rigid labour market etc. caused low economic growth and high indebtedness of the country. I tried to find the solutions the problems Italy faces in these days.

This diploma thesis deals with complex evaluation of tourism competitiveness of five Moravian regions. First chapter explains basic definitions related to the tourism and regional competitiveness. Second chapter analyzes in detail natural conditions, economics, transport, people and tourism of the regions. In the third chapter, the competitiveness of Moravian regions in three areas (economics, people and tourism) and as a whole is examined through the method of the economic n-angle.

Les pôles de compétitivité sont un instrument important de la politique industrielle française. Ils ont pour objectif de mettre en place des dynamiques d’innovation ouverte et coopérative, moteurs de croissance et d’emplois. Les pôles de compétitivité sont une forme atypique d’organisation de l’innovation.Les études et évaluations menées ont mis en lumière les effets positifs des pôles de compétitivité sur l’emploi. Ces études ont été menées à partir de cadres d’analyse ne permettant pas de prendre en compte de manière précise et adaptée l’effet des pôles de compétitivité. Ce travail de thèse propose de mesurer les effets des pôles de compétitivité sur l’emploi à partir d’un cadre d’analyse prenant en compte leurs caractéristiques résiliaires et coopératives et basé sur une approche microéconomique, au niveau des établissements d’entreprise. Cette évaluation mesure l’impact direct de la participation des entreprises aux projets de pôles sur leurs performances d’emploi et leurs dynamiques salariales. A partir de données de panel, un modèle d’évaluation de différences en différences permet de tester l’effet de la participation des entreprises sur les dynamiques d’emploi et de salaires entre 2004 et 2010, comparativement à des entreprises restées hors des pôles. Les entreprises ayant pris part à un projet de R&D collaboratif ont vu leur effectif global moyen augmenter de 31 emplois par rapport à des entreprises étant restées hors des pôles, toutes choses égales par ailleurs. Les pôles auraient permis la création de 20 115 emplois, dont 8 428 emplois de cadres et liés à la R&D. Les pôles de compétitivité ont un impact positif sur les emplois cadres et de R&D, mais pas sur les emplois ouvriers. En outre, les pôles de compétitivité influencent la masse salariale des entreprises ayant pris part aux projets de R&D coopératifs des pôles, elle a augmenté de 11,3% suite à la participation à un projet de R&D entre 2004 et 2010, relativement à des entreprises restées hors des pôles. Les caractéristiques coopératives et résiliaires des réseaux formés par les projets de R&Dentre entreprises et acteurs de l’innovation expliquent ces dynamiques d’emploi et de salaires. La richesse du capital social des entreprises (le nombre de liens sociaux qu’elles possèdent), impacte négativement ses performances d’emploi. Inversement, la valeur du capital social des entreprises (diversité des acteurs du capital social) impacte positivement ses performances d’emploi. Ainsi, la multiplication des liens sociaux conduit les entreprises à disposer d’un nombre important de ressources et les incite davantage à mobiliser ses liens sociaux, au détriment du recrutement de nouveaux salariés. En revanche, la diversité des acteurs est pourvoyeur d’emplois. Cette diversité permet aux entreprises de bénéficier d’un environnement propice aux échanges et l’émergence d’idées qui les conduit à mettre en place des projets de R&D, créateurs d’emplois.Les résultats de cette évaluation montrent que les pôles de compétitivité sont créateurs d’emploi et que les caractéristiques coopératives et résilaires des pôles ont un impact sur les performances d’emploi des entreprises. / French competitiveness clusters are an important tool of French industrial policy, they aim to develop open and collaborative innovation, growth and employment. These clusters are an atypical form of innovation organization. Studies and evaluations highlight the positive effects of French competitiveness clusters on employment. These studies were conducted with an analytical framework which does not allow taking into account accurately and appropriately the effect of clusters. This thesis proposes to measure the effects of clusters on employment from an original analytical framework. This framework, based on a microeconomic approach at firm level, considers the network and cooperative characteristics of French clusters. This evaluation measures the direct impact of firms participation into clusters projects on their employment performances and wage dynamics. From panel data, a Difference-in-Differences model is used to test the effect of the firm participation in clusters projects on the dynamics of employment and wages between 2004 and 2010, compared to companies which remained outside the clusters. Average total manpower increases by 31 jobs in firms which took part in a collaborative R&D project, compared to companies outside clusters, all things being equal. Clusters allowed the creation of 20 115 jobs, including 8 428 managerial and R&D jobs. French competitiveness clusters have a positive impact on managerial and R&D jobs, but not on workers’ jobs. In addition, clusters affect payroll for firms participating in R&D projects. The payroll increased by 11,3% for firms which participated in an R&D project between 2004 and 2010, relative to firms which remained outside clusters. Cooperative and network features of R&D networks explain these dynamics of employment and wages. The wealth of firms social capital (number of social links) negatively impacts firms employment performances. Conversely, the value of social capital companies (diversity of actors in social capital) positively impacts their employment performances. Thus, the multiplication of social links lead firms to have a large number of resources and a greater incentive to mobilize social links, to the detriment of the recruiting of new employees. However, the diversity of actors can create jobs. This diversity enables firms to benefit from an environment conducive to trade and new ideas, favourable to R&D projects and employment.These evaluation results show that French competitiveness clusters are job creators and that clusters cooperative and network characteristics have an impact on firms employment performances.

Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att öka förståelsen för SME:s företagsledares val att tillämpa CSR med fokus på kundmotivet och affärsmotivet. Metod: Studien utgår från ett socialkonstruktivistiskt och hermeneutiskt perspektiv, med en abduktiv forskningsansats. I studien används en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod, med anledning av att den empiriska datainsamlingen genomförs med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Den teoretiska referensramen baseras på tidigare forskning och det empiriska materialet är grupperat efter kategorier som uppkommit vid intervjuerna. Resultat & slutsats: Studien tyder på att ekonomin och finansiella resultat inte är den främsta faktorn till att SME:s företagsledare tillämpar CSR på sina företag, utan att deras beslut att tillämpa CSR är grundat i icke-finansiella anledningar, såsom medarbetarnas trygghet och kundernas önskemål. Vi fann även att en vanligt förekommande faktor var att man gjorde det för att man hade ett genuint intresse för det som berörs av CSR. Uppsatsens bidrag: Ur ett teoretiskt perspektiv bidrar studien med att fördjupa förståelsen för vikten av icke-finansiella faktorer vid SME:s implementering av CSR. Ur ett praktiskt perspektiv föreslås att SME:s bör sträva efter att ha en tydlig, långsiktig struktur, då studien tyder på att det ger konkurrensfördelar och kan vara viktigt ur ett medarbetarperspektiv. Förslag till fortsatt forskning: Vi ser ett behov av att vidare undersöka effekten CSR har på individer samt det inflytande individer har på utformningen av CSR. Vi föreslår även att vidare forskning angriper CSR i SME:s ur både medarbetares och företagsledares perspektiv, för att kunna belysa likheter och skillnader mellan dessa två gruppers upplevelser. / Aim: The aim of this study is to create an understanding of why SME:s’ decision-makers choose to incorporate CSR in their business, focusing on the customer motive and business motive. Method: The study assumes a social constructivist perception of reality and builds on the hermeneutic research tradition, with abduction as the approach to analyzing the empirical findings. Semi-qualitative interviews were conducted to collect the empirical evidence. The theoretical framework of reference builds heavily on previous research, and the empirical evidence has been categorized appropriately. Results & conclusion: The study indicates that financial performance is not a major factor for why SME:s decision makers’ engage in CSR. Rather, our findings show that the decision to implement CSR is motivated by non-financial reasons, such as employee security and customer demands and expectations. We also found that SME:s engage in CSR because they have a genuine interest in the issues within CSR. Contribution of the thesis: From a theoretical standpoint, this study contributes by further highlighting the importance of non-financial factors in the way SME:s implement CSR. From a practical standpoint, we suggest that SME:s should aim towards achieving a clear long-term CSR-structure, since our findings suggest that it provides companies with competitive advantages and may be important from an employee point of view. Suggestions for future research: There is a need to further examine the effects of CSR on individuals as well as the influence individuals have on how CSR is implemented. We also suggest that future research studies CSR in SME:s from both employees’ and management’s point of view, to be able to explore the similarities and differences between their experiences.

The diploma thesis is focused on the current economic situation of Mexico and its position in the international tourism market. The main objective of this thesis is to evaluate the relation between the economy and tourism of Mexico. The analysis is carried out through the comparison of generating gross domestic product and employment in both sectors. The diploma thesis is divided into three chapters; the first one is devoted to theoretical definitions of basic concepts. The second chapter covers the actual development of the Mexican economy, as well as detailed analysis of macroeconomic indicators (GDP, unemployment, inflation, balance of payments). The third chapter reflects the evolution in the international tourism of Mexico and through the analysis of country competitiveness it also displays the position of Mexico's international tourism market.

The work examines the hypothesis that the Italian debt has already reached its critical level and the creditors no longer trust the country. I concluded that it's far from having reached its critical level. Despite the rising debt and internal problems, Italy borrows more cheaply than before and thanks to economic growth and some reforms we can expect this trend to continue. On the other hand, the country still has major structural problems and struggles with high unemployment and declining competitiveness. In the case of failure to introduce necessary reforms, in a longer-term can Italy suffer by significant problems.

The master thesis focuses on Irish economy and its position in the international tourism. The aim of the thesis is to analyse economic situation in the country and evaluate position of Ireland in the international tourism. First part of the thesis contains the basic terms and definitions in the area of tourism. Second part of the thesis deals with the analysis of the country based on macroeconomic indicators and it also deals with the competitiveness in the global economy. The third part is focused on Irish tourism, its tourist regions, attractivities and evaluation of the competitiveness and position in the international tourism. Tourism organizations operating in Ireland and also the way of thein promotion in the international markets are mentioned in the third part of the thesis.

This Master's thesis focuses on the analysis of the competitiveness of the Spanish economy. It studies how to measure and express competitiveness. It also describes the path of Spain to economic growth through periods of recession and looks into the different Spanish economic sectors and thoroughly examines the economic situation of the various autonomous communities. This thesis also includes a case study of the Catalan separatist movement. The last chapter tries to make an economic outlook.

Master thesis is focused on economic problems that are linked to economic transformation and competitiveness of the Czech Republic and the Russian Federation. The mutual cooperation and economic level are monitored in this work during last three decades. Macroeconomic figures of two countries -- of the Czech Republic and of the Russian Federation have been studied as well. This work presents the development of commercial and innovation activities and participation of the Czech Chamber of Commerce. There is practical experience included describing the position of the Czech companies operating on Russian market. Finally, the commentary of the future trade development cooperation with the Russian Federation is investigated.

Thesis analyzes different indicators of competitiveness in period before and after adopting of euro in Slovakia. First chapter contains theoretical background, defines competitiveness and methods of its measuring. Second chapter analyzes development of macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, inflation, government debt and deficit. Aim od third chapter is to evaluate competitiveness of Slovakia, using different competitiveness reports and this chapter also contains analysis of unit labor costs, labor productivity and real effective exchange rate. Fourth chapter is analyzing different exchange rate regimes and compares impact of financial crisis on Slovak and Czech economy due to the fact, that countries had different exchange rate regimes in this period.