The main aim of the master thesis Transformations of the evening news Události and regional news of ČT since 2007 to 2012 was to introduce news in context of normative theories, television news in context of Czech Republic, their development and current conditions. Theoretical frame of the thesis was political economy of communication, outlining the background of news production, and contributing to understand news issues. Essential part of the thesis was the combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis used as a tool for examining news objectivity at evening and regional news of public television Česká televize since 2007 to 2012, its development and differences between evening and regional news. Objectivity was researched through relevance and uncovering bias by visual balance and neutral presentation. It was found that evening news Události dedicate most of the time to foreign, occasional and political events, 35 % of news showed elements of siding, for example by dramatization, possible reality distortion and using expressive expressions. In terms of regional Brno's news Události v regionech it was found that the highest relevance was assigned to points of interest news and local news, 17 % of news showed elements of siding using mostly evaluative expressions. In case of evening news...

This diploma thesis researches the Czech printed magazine Kraus which was launched in November 2011 and ended in July 2012. The magazine was unique due to its media format of so called personality magazine. Kraus magazine was the first personality magazine in the Czech republic and no such other has been released since then. The thesis tracks and analyzes the existence of the magazine in Czech media market, while following the perspective of the critical political economy of communication. In order to put the Kraus magazine into a broader context of the political economy of communication, one part of the thesis is focused on foreign personality magazines such as Dutch Linda or American O, The Oprah Magazine. The successful Dutch Linda magazine was explicitly a pattern for Kraus, being published by the same media production company Sanoma Magazines. Another part of the thesis characterizes the public media image of Jan Kraus, a well-known Czech TV host, whose name and face the first Czech personality magazine bare. Marketing strategy, influences of the media management and ownership, advertising, internationalization, concepts such as commodification and structuration and more are the main interests of critical political economy and the key areas of this study too. The thesis includes a qualitative...

This dissertation is divided into four essays, each of them having its own structure and methodological framework. Although each of the essays making the chapters of the thesis is self-contained, their topics are very closely related. Consequently, the reader will be able to follow the thesis in its unity. Essay I is a selective survey of the extensive, mostly theoretic, literature dealing with monetary policy rules. We aim at contextualization of the monetary policy rules in the existing monetary economics literature. We explain the logic, the inspiration and the history of the rules for the monetary policy conduct. We distinguish between instrument rules and targeting rules as two basic categories. Finally, we resume specific issues related to policy rules for small open economies. Essay II studies the logic of short-term interest rate setting pursued by 15 EU countries before and after the launch of the EMU. We employ econometric estimation of the augmented Taylor rule (TR) for individual 15 EU countries and the Euro area. Although a vast empirical evidence is available for the major economies like the US, the UK or Germany, there is an important gap in our understanding of the factors behind the short-term interest rate dynamics in smaller economies. We find that in the period preceding the euro adoption, the TR is a poor representation of monetary policy setting in most EU countries and that many central banks considered decisions made by dominant economies rather than their domestic macroeconomic developments. The analysis of monetary policy rule of the ECB features additional problems related to the heterogeneity of the EMU. We argue that results based on Euro-area aggregated series, commonly presented in empirical studies, are subject to diverse econometric problems. We provide some evidence that the ECB is concerned also with national information and propose quasi-panel analysis as a viable framework. Essay III explores the relation between the existing monetary policy and domestic price stability in small open emerging economies, in particular the 12 EU new member states. This work has three principal objectives. First, it aims at revealing the logic of interest rate setting pursued by monetary authority of each country. The linear specification of the Taylor rule, applied already in the Essay II, is accompanied by an extensive analysis of nonlinearities in monetary policy rules and the inference on their possible sources. We find that the official monetary policy is sometimes inconsistent with the empirical evidence on the short term interest rate setting. The second objective consists in revealing the determinants of the inflation process. We have found that inflation rates are driven not only by backward persistency but also by the forward-looking component. Third, we employ analysis of the conditional inflation variance so as to give account on the viability of the existing monetary policy setting for price stability. We conclude that the policy of inflation targeting seems to be preferable to exchange rate peg because it allows decreasing not only inflation rate but also its conditional variance. Essay IV seeks to shed light on inflation dynamics of four CEEC (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and test when the predominant model of inflation, the New Keynesian Philips Curve (NKPC), is consistent with the data of these countries. According to the microfounded NKPC, the current inflation is related to inflation expectations and the real marginal cost. The empirical validity of this model has recently become a subject of major controversy in the monetary economics. Although we find some favorable evidence for the NKPC, it seems to be too restrictive model for small open economies. In particular, the failure of the NKPC to explain the inflation dynamics of these countries may be related to the assumption that inflation is related to forward-looking price setting of domestic monopolist firms while our evidence suggests that prices in CEEC have an important backward-looking component and the inflation is significantly driven by external factors like the exchange rate and the foreign inflation rate.

The aim of this thesis is to find out whether advertisers can influence the content of lifestyle media. The first part of this work deals with the theory of media economics, the market of printed magazines and the various influences on the media; followed by a definition of the ethical and legal framework for advertising. It also includes a description of selected media, an overview of their market position and the degree of financial dependence on advertising. Two lifestyle magazines, namely Cosmopolitan, representing women's magazines, and ForMen, as a men-oriented magazine, were selected for analysis. The second part of the thesis deals with the definition of the methodological framework and the description of the research method used, i.e. quantitative content analysis. Three different phenomena are explored using six research sub-questions, namely the ratio of advertising and editorial content, the degree of linking advertising with editorial materials (brand reciprocity), and finally the use of advertorials, their labelling and distinguishability from other content. The third section of the work elaborates on research results. The thesis concludes that while certain dependence and influences can be traced, not all possible manifestations of the relationship between publishers and advertisers...

This thesis aims to analyze the origins of the 2007-2009 financial and economic crisis in the US and describe the most significant channels that caused its transmission to the EU countries. Second part of this paper compares both the progress and consequences the financial and economic crisis had for the United Kingdom and Germany with respect to institutional differences of their economic models. Firstly, the second part of this paper focuses on the main institutional patterns including market for corporate control, banking sector, market as a means of financial allocation, labour market flexibility and the economic role of the state. Secondly, using an elaborate micro and macroeconomic data analysis I compare both the progress and the impacts the crisis had on the UK and German economy. Hereby I show that some of the differences in the progress and economic consequences the crisis had for the UK and Germany (price bubble on the real estate market, firms' financial distress, lower domestic and foreign demand and increased unemployment rate) reflected the institutional particularities of their economic models.

This work is mainly focused on the environment of stock markets. It aims to identify some psychological and sociological factors relating to investors' behaviour which may help to justify occurrence of excessive movements in stock market prices resulting in price "bubbles" and stock market crashes. It emphasizes that the assumptions for the validity of the Efficient Markets Hypothesis based on dominant position of rational investors in stock markets have been empirically undermined by number of experiments and observations. As one of the most vigorous alternative challenging the Efficient Market Hypothesis is now considered the theory of behavioural finance stressing some imperfections of human behaviour which may substantially influence dynamics of stock market prices in both directions.

Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf oil monarchies, represents an original politico- economic system. Huge revenues in the form of oil rent, flowing to the Treasury since the oil boom in the early 70's, have fundamentally changed the socio-economic structure, which was in literature termed the rentier state. The origin, development and description of typical characteristics of rentier state are the main topic of this thesis. The first section discusses the theoretical foundations and approaches to the issue. The second chapter provides a historical background in order to position the study in the context of previous political, economic and ideological development. In an analysis of the formation of state structures, the work deals with the relationships between members of the ruling house of Saud, between the government and social elites, with functioning of clientelist structures and interactions within the bureaucratic apparatus. Based on the study of these relationships the thesis marks out particularities of the Saudi politico-economic system that distinguish it from the classical concept of rentier state model. The main distinctive feature is the diminished autonomous ability of state to regulate the functioning of state institutions and to encourage individual agencies to cooperate actively...

Background: Calcium channel blockers are mainly divided into antihypertensive and antianginal treatment agents. In 2000 it was estimated that 972 million adults worldwide were living with hypertension and it is expected to affect 1.56 billion patients by 2025. The incremental expenditure for the antihypertensive therapeutic group in the United States of America was estimated at $US 55 billion per annum in 2006. It was stated that around seven million people in the United States of America suffered from angina, with around 400 000 new reports every year. Objective: To determine the prescribing patterns of calcium channel blocker medicine items during 2005 to 2008 in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa. Methods: A retrospective quantitative drug utilisation review was done using a medicine claims database ranging over four years from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008. The total medicine claims database was divided into cardiovascular medicine items and then into calcium channel blockers. These were analysed according to age as well as gender. Further analysis included adherence of calcium channel blockers as well as an analysis of prescribers of these items during the study period. Results: The total number of patients on the medicine claims database consisted of 1 509 621 patients in 2005. This number decreased to 974 497 patients in 2008. The most medicine items were dispensed in 2006 (n = 21 113 422) with an average cost of R 92.82 (SD = 196.42) per medicine item. It was noted that 16.05% (n = 242 264) of patients used at least one cardiovascular item in 2005. The percentage of cardiovascular medicine item users increased by 4.36% during the study period to 20.41% (n = 198 847) in 2008. In 2008 the cardiovascular medicine items dispensed were responsible for 19.18% (R 342 565 308.41) of the total cost of all medicine items claimed. In 2005 the results revealed that 1.63% (n = 318 258) of all medicine items dispensed were calcium channel blocker medicine items. The percentage of calcium channel blockers increased to 2.24% (n = 367 437) of the total number of medicine items in 2008. The cost prevalence index was calculated for the calcium channel blockers and the value declined from 1.5 in 2005 to 1.22 in 2008, which indicated that the items dispensed were relatively expensive, but less than in 2005. An increase of 16.17% in the usage of generic medicine items were noted from 2005 to 2008. More female patients than male patients claimed medicine items during the study period. A higher percentage of male patients used a cardiovascular medicine item as well as calcium channel blockers during the study period compared to females and a larger percentage of their medicine expenditure was used on cardiovascular medicine items as well as calcium channel blockers compared to females. The usage of cardiovascular medicine items as well as calcium channel blocker medicine items increased with patient age. In 2008, 17.98% of patients older than 65 years of age used a calcium channel blocker compared to 0.97% of patients aged > 25 <= 35 years. Only 60.34% of calcium channel blockers items were used with acceptable refill adherence rates during the study. More than a third of the calcium channel blockers medicine items used had unacceptable low adherence rates from 2005 to 2008. In each of the study years the highest potential saving with generic substitution was seen with amlodipine containing items. It was also observed that some generic substitutions could be relatively more expensive than the innovator products and an increased cost instead of a saving through generic substitution may have occurred. Conclusion: This study highlighted the prescribing patterns and cost implications of calcium channel blockers in the private health care sector of South Africa. It is recommended that a more in–depth study of the adherence of calcium channel blockers be done. This study should also include the cost strategies of generic substitution of calcium channel blockers in South Africa. / Thesis (M.Pharm (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Background: Calcium channel blockers are mainly divided into antihypertensive and antianginal treatment agents. In 2000 it was estimated that 972 million adults worldwide were living with hypertension and it is expected to affect 1.56 billion patients by 2025. The incremental expenditure for the antihypertensive therapeutic group in the United States of America was estimated at $US 55 billion per annum in 2006. It was stated that around seven million people in the United States of America suffered from angina, with around 400 000 new reports every year. Objective: To determine the prescribing patterns of calcium channel blocker medicine items during 2005 to 2008 in a section of the private health care sector of South Africa. Methods: A retrospective quantitative drug utilisation review was done using a medicine claims database ranging over four years from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2008. The total medicine claims database was divided into cardiovascular medicine items and then into calcium channel blockers. These were analysed according to age as well as gender. Further analysis included adherence of calcium channel blockers as well as an analysis of prescribers of these items during the study period. Results: The total number of patients on the medicine claims database consisted of 1 509 621 patients in 2005. This number decreased to 974 497 patients in 2008. The most medicine items were dispensed in 2006 (n = 21 113 422) with an average cost of R 92.82 (SD = 196.42) per medicine item. It was noted that 16.05% (n = 242 264) of patients used at least one cardiovascular item in 2005. The percentage of cardiovascular medicine item users increased by 4.36% during the study period to 20.41% (n = 198 847) in 2008. In 2008 the cardiovascular medicine items dispensed were responsible for 19.18% (R 342 565 308.41) of the total cost of all medicine items claimed. In 2005 the results revealed that 1.63% (n = 318 258) of all medicine items dispensed were calcium channel blocker medicine items. The percentage of calcium channel blockers increased to 2.24% (n = 367 437) of the total number of medicine items in 2008. The cost prevalence index was calculated for the calcium channel blockers and the value declined from 1.5 in 2005 to 1.22 in 2008, which indicated that the items dispensed were relatively expensive, but less than in 2005. An increase of 16.17% in the usage of generic medicine items were noted from 2005 to 2008. More female patients than male patients claimed medicine items during the study period. A higher percentage of male patients used a cardiovascular medicine item as well as calcium channel blockers during the study period compared to females and a larger percentage of their medicine expenditure was used on cardiovascular medicine items as well as calcium channel blockers compared to females. The usage of cardiovascular medicine items as well as calcium channel blocker medicine items increased with patient age. In 2008, 17.98% of patients older than 65 years of age used a calcium channel blocker compared to 0.97% of patients aged > 25 <= 35 years. Only 60.34% of calcium channel blockers items were used with acceptable refill adherence rates during the study. More than a third of the calcium channel blockers medicine items used had unacceptable low adherence rates from 2005 to 2008. In each of the study years the highest potential saving with generic substitution was seen with amlodipine containing items. It was also observed that some generic substitutions could be relatively more expensive than the innovator products and an increased cost instead of a saving through generic substitution may have occurred. Conclusion: This study highlighted the prescribing patterns and cost implications of calcium channel blockers in the private health care sector of South Africa. It is recommended that a more in–depth study of the adherence of calcium channel blockers be done. This study should also include the cost strategies of generic substitution of calcium channel blockers in South Africa. / Thesis (M.Pharm (Pharmacy Practice))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The dissertation thesis Structures and hierarchies in professional discourse of journalists in the Czech Republic with a focus on the factor of gender deals with professional self-reflection of Czech daily news journalists from the perspective of feminist political economy. This attitude connects the field of gender media studies and the political economy of communication, stresses the intersection of gender and other factors (demographic, socio- cultural, economic, organizational) when examining the influences in the profession and poses questions about the extent of individual autonomy in both professional and extraprofessional hierarchies. The theoretical introduction defines the field of gender media studies in terms of topics and conflicting ideas, summarizes the conclusions of gender research on media institutions and focuses on the perspective of studying gender among many influences in the news such as economic, sociocultural and organizational factors. The analysis of in-depth interviews with Czech daily news journalists reveals how the importance of gender as an influence in news media is constructed in professional discourse in the context of other structural and organizational influences. Based on the collected data and its analysis, it suggests focusing in detail on the possible...