The thesis presents a reformative criticism of science funding by peer review. The criticism is based on epistemological scepticism, regarding the ability of scientific peers, or any other agent, to have access to sufficient information regarding the potential of proposed projects at the time of funding. The scepticism is based on the complexity of factors contributing to the merit of scientific projects, and the rate at which the parameters of this complex system change their values. By constructing models of different science funding mechanisms, a construction supported by historical evidence, computational simulations show that in a significant subset of cases it would be better to select research projects by a lottery mechanism than by selection based on peer review. This last result is used to create a template for an alternative funding mechanism that combines the merits of peer review with the benefits of random allocation, while noting that this alternative is not so far removed from current practice as may first appear.

The work deals with the legislative background and the financial sustainability of voluntary projects in the social services. In the introductory part are defined by basic concepts that relate to volunteering and social services. Further funding options are described volunteer programs. In the practical part is outlined a budget for the volunteer project at a retirement home in Jindrichuv Hradec. They are designed specific funding opportunities for this project and model of working with volunteers. An integral part is a questionnaire survey, which took place between staff and clients retirement home.

The aim of this master thesis is the analysis of the possible forms of funding business in the Czech Republic with a focus on non-bank sector - performance of these types, their advantages and disadvantages, and implementation analysis of the choice of sources of funding the project Rapol. The work is divided into four chapters. The first chapter deals with the theoretical performance forms of financing business in the Czech Republic divided into internal (net cash flow, reserves) and external sources of funding (Issuance of shares, EU structural funds, venture capital, Business Angels, government grants, leases, bonds, trade credit, factoring, forfeiting, quiet community). The second chapter is devoted to the characteristics of firms Rapol s.r.o. and RBB Invest a.s. and the third chapter the characteristics of the project Rapol. Last, the fourth chapter, represents the analysis of the choice of sources of funding the project Rapol.

This work in the first chapter describes reasons for the formation of nonprofit sector and the necessity of its existence. Further, individual sources of funding nonprofit organizations in the Czech Republic are described and also explained using examples from common life. I mainly focus on specificities of individual financial sources and also compare sources of funding among NPO. I also submit some conclusions of conducted research. It gives possibility to study diversity of financing different types of NPO. Last chapter is based on regression analysis. I examine certain conclusions from theoretical part of work.

This thesis called Options of fundig heritage conservation with the example of the city Polná is focused on the explanation of the system of heritage preservation in the Czech Republic and significance of the historical monuments and care for the cultural heritage. The most important part deals with the determination of the various options for financing monument preservation. The first chapter defines the basic concepts. This section includes the functions and competences of organizations and institutions in preservation and care for historical monuments, legislature and the obligations of owners of cultural monuments. The second chapter is focused on defining the various options for financing of preservation of monuments. These options include the grant programs of Ministry of culture, budgets of the municipal and regional authorities, the European Union and other sources. The third chapter explains the financial system of territorial autonomies. Covering general information about incomes, expenditures and making the regional and municipal budgets. Because of this these budgets are an important source of funding for heritage conservation. The last chapter of the theoretical part is devoted to the economic importance of heritage. The practical part of this thesis is focused on the city Polná. In this part we can find the main information about this city, the system of the heritage preservation in the region Vysočina and its organizations and institutions. The practical part includes also the list of the main historical and cultural monuments, which are located in the city Polná. The last part of the thesis (chapter seven) evaluates the using of grants and founding sources for financing care for the cultural heritage in the previous eight years. This chapter also includes recommendations for further options available for this problem in the future.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the motivational factors for participation in collaborative consumption across industries and if specific factors attracts funding. This will be done as an attempt to extend current research within sharing economy regarding what factors to consider when attracting funding. Method and Methodology - Utilizing a deductive approach, the research questions connect motivational factors for participation with funding of industries within the sharing economy. Secondary data containing 776 funding rounds were analysed through univariate and bivariate analyses and linked to 40 935 observations of motivational factors for participation. Findings - The findings entail how some motivational factors for participation in the sharing economy can be applicable to all investigated industries, while others are industry specific. The study thus suggest that the sharing economy cannot be viewed as one coherent industry and motivational factors should not be cross-sector generalized. Contribution - The study contributes with a theoretical implication in the way it bridges the existing gap by dividing the sharing economy into different industries and connect the specific motivational factors underlying the possibility to attract funding. Furthermore, a practical implication suggests that companies can use these findings as a guideline to attract consumers and ultimately funding.

This thesis deals with questions of funding sport from lottery incomes and other similar games. The aim of this study is to present a relation between gambling and sport in a complex way. The preliminary theoretic part explains terminology and principle of venture operations, including historical evolution. Furthermore, this thesis is focused on determination of positive and negative externalities of gambling towards sport. Practical part describes a crucial legal form of gambling in Czech Republic. Apart from that this thesis evaluates consequences caused of legal modifications in recent years. Following is the analysis of funding sport from incomes of loterries in selected EU countries. The final part deals with (de)regulation of betting sector in Europe.

This thesis aims to evaluate the current concepts of sports funding in the Czech Republic and proposes partial measures that would lead to its improvement. These measures are proposed on the basis of an analysis of the current system of support sport in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Austria and France. Furthermore, when designing appropriate measures are taken into account the views of fifteen representatives of the sports community, with which were conducted structured interviews and opinions of Czech citizens, which were identified in the questionnaire survey on a sample of 150 people. The result of the investigation is the proposal to the possibility of a one percent tax assignation, the establishment of a central register of sports and athletes, stabilize the structure of grant programs and customize the system using revenues from the taxation of gambling for municipalities.

The aim of the thesis is a complex mapping of the cultural life of national minorities living in the Czech Republic. It focuses on the possible ways of their support by the state as well as local governments and on introduction of these national minorities and presentation of their specific culture. The first part defines the relevant terms and legal framework. Further it describes the possibilities of financial and other support of their cultural activities. Integral part is formed by the characteristics of individual national minorities and description of their cultural activities. The second part shows the analysed possibilities on the example of the Greek minority and existing Greek cultural organizations in the Czech Republic, particularly it analyses activities of the organization Lyceum Řekyň v České republice (Lyceum Club of Greek Women in the Czech Republic). This part of the thesis results above all in the assessment of functioning of the organisation as well as in recommendations for its further development.

The literature on the financing of innovative projects follows two trends: one contemplates that either the prospective fundees or the potential funders use their preferences to choose the other party out of a range of theoretical possibilities; the other refers to project owners or investors that actively look for an “opportunity” and try to talk the other party into entering the funding relationship. These views, however, cannot explain several facts such as: why projects rejected by some funders are accepted by others, why IPOs and markets are not attractive to all players or why that changes over time and across settings, how can State funds support a sector across regions, or how players’ and setting features and time affect funding criteria. A critique of these explanations sees three main shortcomings: lack of balance (i.e.,one party’s initiative prevails), bias (i.e., criteria of the domineering party prevail), and disembeddedness (i.e., milieu factors and changes over time are ignored). We think that an analysis supported by a sectoral approach may contribute to build a more articulate, integral insight about the funding of innovation. The bio-pharmaceutical sector was chosen because it exhibits amazing complexity related to the heterogeneity embodied by a multifaceted network of players (e.g., universities, companies, potential financiers, regulation bodies), to the nature and development path of innovative projects, and to the competitive/collaborative interactions framed in a particular setting. Hence, a qualitative approach based on the case study of the sector is the choice for this study. Case data are collected through semi-structured interviews with thirty participants that have played different roles in organisations of the bio-pharmaceutical sector or are highly experienced VC practitioners. Our findings allow us to propose an enhanced characterisation of innovation financing by showing that: i) Investors’ understanding of a sector is essential for funding decisions and can be updated through networking; ii) Networks facilitate firms-funders contact, coordination among funders, enhancement of financiers’ knowledge about the sector, and venture owners’ knowledge of track record and potential benefits of investors; iii) Interactions involve other actors in different roles and support network-based learning; iv) Funding decisions are impacted by the geographic availability of sources/mechanisms of finance and by their readiness to fund specific venture stages; v) Investors’ specificities matter; vi) Trends of change impact the availability of funding sources/mechanisms since they imply a reorganisation of the relations and interactions among players in the sector. Therefore, we propose a systemic analytic explanation where the strategy of funders (generalist or dedicated), therefore their role in a particular setting, is essentially defined in relation to the structure and dynamics of their knowledge consolidation system; then, we derive a number of implications for firm managers, investors, and policy-makers. Finally, the main limitations of this work and some further questions for future research are stated.