The sinus node (SN) is the natural pacemaker of the heart. In the human, the SN is surrounded by the paranodal area (PNA), the function of which is currently unknown. The PNA may act as subsidiary atrial pacemakers (SAP) and become the dominant pacemaker during sinus node dysfunction (SND). Creation of an animal model of SND allows characterisation of SAP, which can be a target for novel treatment strategies other than the currently available electronic pacemakers. I developed a large animal model of SND by ablating the SN in the goat and validated it by mapping the location of the newly emergent SAP. Functional characterisation of the SAP revealed reduced atrioventricular (AV) conduction time consistent with a location of the SAP close to the AV junction. SAP recovery time showed an initially significant prolongation compared to the SN recovery time, followed by a gradual decrease over 4 weeks. SAP pauses, and temporary reliance on electronic pacemaker activity have also been demonstrated then disappeared over time, suggesting possible modulation, maturation of the SAP. Structural characterisation of the SN revealed an extensive pacemaking complex within the right atrium (RA); the SN was surrounded by the PNA, extending down to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and into the interatrial groove. The PNA had a histological appearance that is intermediate to the SN and the RA. 3D reconstruction demonstrated, for the first time in a large animal model, an extensive and almost complete circle of pacemaking tissue at the junction of the embryologically different sinus venosus and the muscular right atrium. The SAP emerged in a location close to the IVC along the crista terminalis. Expression of key ion channel proteins in the SAP showed abundance of the pacemaker channel (HCN4) and the sodium/calcium exchanger (NCX1) compared to RA, similar to the expression pattern of the SN. The expression of the main high conductance connexin (Cx43) was not significantly different between SAP and RA, and both expressed Cx43 more abundantly than the SN.Conclusion: Destruction of the sinus node in this experimental model resulted in the generation of chronic SAP activity in the majority of the animals. The SAP displayed maturation over time and located in the inferior part of the RA, in the same area where the PNA was found in controls, suggesting the role of PNA as the dominant pacemaker in sinus node dysfunction. The SAP in the goat constitutes a promising stable target for electrophysiological modification to construct a fully functioning biological pacemaker.

Many studies have focused on the effects of MNC subsidiaries' external relational embeddedness. Little attention has been given to its antecedents and especially to the potential effect that the business network context might have. We try to fill this gap and attempt to explain variation among subsidiaries' degree of relational embeddedness. Our results show a strong and robust effect of the business network context -- i.e. the network context in which the direct business relationships between the subsidiary and its partners are embedded -- on the degree of relational embeddedness. However, contrary to previous literature, we find an inverted u-shaped relationship. We discuss our findings with regard to the issue of over-embeddedness and the literature on the strength of weak versus strong ties.

This paper proposes an agency model for headquarters subsidiary relationships in multinational organizations with headquarters as the principal and the subsidiary as the agent. As a departure from classical agency theory, our model is developed for the unit level of analysis and considers two root causes of the agency problem - self-interest and bounded rationality. We argue that in the organizational setting, one cannot assume absolute self-interest and perfect rationality of agents (subsidiaries) but should allow them to vary. We explain subsidiary level variation through a set of internal organizational and external social conditions in which the headquarters-subsidiary agency dyad is embedded. We then discuss several agency scenarios reflecting various levels of selfinterest and rationality that lead to different manifestations of the agency problem. The proposed framework can inform more relevant applications of the agency perspective in organizational studies and motivate future research.

The thesis is focused on the range of subsidiary processes with the aplication to the situation of the factual company from the small and middle enterprises segment. The objective of this thesis is to provide the basis for making decisions within the system and cost optimalisation of subsidiary processes in this company. In the theoretical part is explained the processionary management fundamental and processes definition regarding to their subjects, holders, aims, inputs and outputs. In terms of subjects is further clarified the principle of dividing main and subsidiary processes. Their specifics are defined and also the reasons for their separating. There is qualified the posibillity of subsidiary processes detaching and the possibility of their supporting by external providers. In the following part the thesis records conception of subsidiary processes complex resourcing by integrated supplier -- the conception of facility management. In the practically part are defined the processes in company Odenwald CZ s.r.o. They are individualized through the use of processes analyze and subsequently are proposed the ways of their optimalisation. The suggested ways are reviewed by means of benchmarking with solutions exercised by the other companies in the region.

Práce na téma ekonomické aktivity mezi mateřskou a dceřinou společností z pohledu daně z přidané hodnoty a daně z příjmů se věnuje analýze a hodnocení dvou možných způsobů podnikání české banky na území Slovenské republiky. Prvním způsobem je založení provozovny české banky na Slovensku, druhým způsobem založení dceřiné společnosti této banky na Slovensku. Práce analyzuje a vyhodnocuje rozdíly jak ve způsobu zdanění příjmů mateřské a dceřiné společnosti, zdanění příjmů českého provozovatele slovenské provozovny a této slovenské provozovny, tak rozdíly ve způsobu uplatňování DPH u těchto subjektů. Cílem práce je analýza rozhodovacích kritérií, s důrazem na ta daňová, která by mohla hrát roli při výběru způsobu podnikání české společnosti na Slovensku. Uvedené závěry se dají analogicky aplikovat při volbě způsobu podnikání také v jakémkoliv jiném členském státě Evropské unie, samozřejmě za předpokladu, že přihlédneme ke konkrétním právním úpravám těchto jiných členských států.

This dissertation explores (i) the determinants of executive selection in the international labor market, (ii) how these determinants shift relative to economic and institutional conditions, and (iii) how they differ for various functional roles. Using regression-based analysis and competitive assignment matching models, I examined executive appointment patterns in the subsidiaries of global banks located in Central & Eastern Europe between 2005 and 2012. The setting and timeframe not only yielded a heterogeneous sample of executive appointments under a variety of environmental conditions but also provided the opportunity to study the impact of financial shocks in the environment and/or the subsidiary network on executive succession during and in the aftermath of the Financial Crisis of 2008. The results indicate that there exists a substantial difference in appointment strategies by functional role, which remains intact regardless of the level of environmental uncertainty present in the subsidiary market. In examining the entire subsidiary executive team, the results of the two-sided competitive assignment matching model show that firm-specific human capital is the dominant determinant of an executive appointment during an economic upswing, but during an economic downturn firm-specific human capital is nearly four times weaker in driving an executive—subsidiary match than general human capital. Upon limiting the sample to just subsidiary CEOs, I find that while broad economic shocks and subsidiary-specific performance shocks both incite CEO turnover, they prompt different preferences for successors' human capital attributes. Specifically, country-wide economic crisis promotes a preference for local human capital, while performance shocks limited to the subsidiary are associated with a preference for expatriate human capital and for successors with broad international experience.

This master’s thesis deals with the methodology of a consolidated financial statement’s composition, according to Czech and German legislation. The thesis contains particular steps of the consolidation methods’ composition, that were used depending on the changes in the ownership interest of the parent company. The effects of the consolidation according to different consolidation methods are analyzed from the economic, tax and wage standpoints.

Corporate entrepreneurship is dedicated to the continuous exploration of opportunities and leveraging innovation activities to achieve a competitive advantage, improved performance, and prosperity of companies. The problem is that the complex reality of multinational corporations is creating distinct obstacles for subsidiary managers who are attempting to develop and promote entrepreneurial activities. The purpose of this qualitative analytic autoethnographic study was to explore barriers and enablers for corporate entrepreneurship ‎practice by focusing on the individual and organizational processes, culture, and lessons learned from entrepreneurial activities that took place at the selected organization during the last decade. The interviews with 9 participants, who were involved in the activities covered by the study, served to reflect the researcher’s narrative and strengthen the reliability and trustworthiness of the results. The study results are based on the contextual data analysis and involved identified barriers in organizational, cultural, and business environments along with the specific manager’s actions and organizational processes for overcoming them. Findings showed that despite the obstacles in the subsidiary’s internal and external environments, one could achieve acknowledging the value of the subsidiary’s innovation activities and establish foundations for the practice of corporate entrepreneurship. The adaption of the study findings is expected to catalyze social change and strengthen the positive impact of entrepreneurial activities on employees’ motivation and job satisfaction, innovativeness, sustainability, and growth of companies and national economies.

Face à la dynamique et la complexité de l’environnement, les middle managers des filiales sont souvent soumis à une double pression, d’une part de leur filiale et d’autre part de la maison mère. Ainsi, ils n’arrivent pas à gérer les différents objectifs imposés qui sont souvent contradictoires surtout quand ils s’inscrivent dans un processus de changement continu. En effet les middle managers acteurs et destinataires du changement, n’arrivent pas à donner du sens à leurs actions quand ils sont face à des évènements ambiguës, nouveaux et critiques.Ainsi, l’étude qualitative et longitudinale menée dans une filiale française appartenant à un groupe Allemand analyse et décrit le rôle des middle managers dans l’interaction et la création du sens « sensemaking » consistant à faire partager ce sens (« sensegiving ») en vue de son appropriation et de son déploiement sur le terrain. En proposant une analyse multi-niveaux,l'étude de cas permet de comprendre les évènements qui impactent l’interprétation et la création du sens dans le cadre d’un changement imposé par la société mère. / Faced with the dynamics and complexity of the environment, the middle managers of the subsidiaries are often subject to a double pressure, on one hand of their subsidiary and on the other hand of the parent company. Thus, they cannot manage the different objectives imposed that are often contradictory especially when they are part of a process of continuous change. Indeed, middle managers, actors and recipients of change, cannot make sense of their actions when faced with ambiguous, new and critical events.The qualitative and longitudinal study carried out in a French subsidiary belonging to a German group, analyzes and describes the role of the middle managers in their interactions and their sensemaking and “sensegiving" for purpose of appropriation and implementation on the ground. By proposing a multi-level analysis, the case study enable to understand the events that impact their interpretations and sensemaking in the framework of change imposed by the headquarters.

In this master thesis, the knowledge exploitation factors in multinational enterprises are studied. Hereby, the researchers analyse the perspective of subsidiary middle managers to understand their influence on knowledge exploitation and to understand the factors that influence middle managers in subsidiaries to share their knowledge. The aim is to provide practical implications for multinational enterprises on how to enhance knowledge exploitation from the subsidiaries and to contribute to the existing theory on knowledge exploitation factors in the light of middle managers. Thereby, the chosen qualitative research approach is abductive grounded theory, including interviews with middle managers from mostly European subsidiaries of multinational enterprises. The findings present which factors impact middle managers to share knowledge with the headquarters. Additionally, influencing factors of middle managers on knowledge exploitation are described. Hereby, the master thesis shows the interdependency between multiple factors of knowledge exploitation, resulting in a model to provide an overview. Furthermore, implications to the theory and practical implications are given on how multinational enterprises can enhance knowledge exploitation within the organisation.