This study investigated the expansion strategies of hotel companies that want to expand away from their local market. Due to the growing importance of services in economic development, there is an impressive body of knowledge on the process of internationalisation and service industries. Due to the major changes impacting upon the industry due to the effects of technology and globalisation, it would be useful to establish the important key factors and processes involved during internationalisation. Expanding cross border for a hotel group signifies a number of challenges that must be focused on at the same time. Markets need to be identified, political stability needs to be scanned and cultural differences must be taken into consideration. Logistics and supply chain have to be developed together with operational issues from financial reporting, marketing and human resources. Organisational structures must be adapted to take into account the new levels of responsibility. An in-depth review of the literature regarding internationalisation was conducted, which evidenced that the most useful model for answering the questions was the eclectic paradigm as developed by John Dunning (1993). The paradigm has been used in many manufacturing and service sector studies, including that of the hotel sector (Contractor and Kundu, 1994). A questionnaire was compiled and interviews were set up with the directors and executives tasked with the respective companies’ expansion programmes. Due mainly to the effects of new technology and globalisation on the hotel industry, there have been many changes in the last decade, including increasing consolidation and concentration and an increasing importance upon branding and financial performance. It was apparent from the research that the time taken to internationalise by hotel chains has reduced significantly in the last decade, especially if one looks at the performance of hotel companies such as Accor Hotels. iii Only two of the three companies studied in this treatise had undertaken expansion into Africa with the third company ready for entering soon. Nonequity involvement in general was the most favoured form of involvement with majority of their expansions based on management contracts, joint partnership or franchises. The role of the functional departments, the importance of a global outlook and the necessary structural changes during international expansion was also explored. In order to answer the various research propositions that are posed, the researcher chose to base this research on a phenomenological approach through case study analysis.

Les diatomées sont des micro-algues qui participent à hauteur de 35 à 75 % à la production primaire océanique et qui sont les acteurs majeurs du cycle biogéochimique du silicium (Si) dans l’océan. Comprendre les mécanismes qui affectent la dissolution de la silice biogénique (bSiO2) constituant le frustule des diatomées est nécessaire afin d’améliorer la compréhension du cycle océanique du Si. En période estivale, la majorité de l’océan ouvert est limitée par de faibles disponibilités en éléments nutritifs. Les travaux réalisés dans cette thèse ont donc pour objectif majeur d’étudier l’effet de l’environnement nutritionnel des diatomées sur la dissolution et l’export de silice biogénique (bSiO2). Cette étude s’est focalisée sur les limitations en fer (Fe), en Si et en azote (N), c'est-à-dire sur les éléments nutritifs dont les faibles concentrations en période estivale limitent la production de diatomées dans une grande majorité de l’océan mondial. Une des originalités de cette thèse consiste en l’étude de la limitation en cuivre (Cu), dont les impacts sur la composition élémentaire et la dissolution des diatomées ont été peu étudiés. Les effets des conditions limitantes en micronutriments ont été étudiés sur la diatomée pennée Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima tandis que les limitations en macronutriments ont été étudiées sur la diatomée centrique Thalassiosira weissflogii. La première étape de ce travail a consisté en l'étude de l'effet de conditions nutritives limitantes sur deux échelles du frustule des diatomées : celle de la cellule, avec l’étude du degré de silicification des diatomées, et celle du frustule, avec l’étude de sa structure et sa composition fine, au moyen de la spectroscopie InfraRouge à Transformée de Fourier (IRTF). La seconde étape de ce travail a consisté en l’étude du devenir post-mortem de ces cellules à travers l’étude de la cinétique de dissolution de la bSiO2 constituant leur frustule. Les résultats obtenus par IRTF indiquent clairement qu’à la plasticité du contenu global en bSiO2 du frustule des diatomées, s’ajoute la plasticité du frustule à l’échelle moléculaire, en fonction des conditions de croissance. Le degré d’organisation et le degré de réactivité du réseau siliceux sont tous deux affectés par l’environnement nutritif des diatomées. La quantité relative de matière organique associée au frustule varie également avec la disponibilité des éléments nutritifs. A travers ces changements, l’environnement nutritionnel affecte la dissolution du frustule des diatomées qui, dans les six expériences de dissolution, se déroulent en deux étapes, illustrant la composition biphasique du frustule. Les résultats indiquent que les conditions de croissance vont affecter la proportion et les vitesses de dissolution de la bSiO2 de ces phases. Par la modification des propriétés intrinsèques des phases de bSiO2, le frustule des diatomées limitées en nutriments auront une propension à la dissolution moins importante que celle des diatomées non-limitées. De ce fait, l’environnement nutritif des diatomées affecte l’export de bSiO2. Pour P. delicatissima, seuls 9 % de la bSiO2 initiale des cellules non limitées sont préservés après 22 jours de dissolution, tandis qu’environ 25 % sont préservés en cas de carence stricte en Cu ou de limitation en Fe durant la croissance. Les frustules de T. weissflogii limitées en macronutriment sont également mieux préservés après un mois de dissolution, avec 41 % et 51 % de la bSiO2 initiale restante pour les cellules majoritairement limitées en Si ou en N, respectivement, comparés au 20 % de préservation pour les cellules non-limitées. Ces résultats suggèrent que la dissolution de la silice dans les modèles globaux de l’océan pourrait être mieux paramétrée en tenant compte (i) de la cinétique de dissolution des deux phases de silice biogénique et (ii) de la meilleure préservation de la bSiO2 des cellules limitées en nutriments. / Diatoms are microalgae that contribute up to 75% of oceanic primary production and are major players in the oceanic biogeochemical silicon (Si) cycle. Understanding the mechanisms affecting the biogenic silica (bSiO2), constituting the diatom frustule, is necessary to improve the understanding of oceanic Si cycling. In summer, most of the open ocean is limited by low nutrient availability. Thus, the main objective of this thesis is to study the effect of diatom nutritional environment on biogenic silica (bSiO2) dissolution and export. This study focused on iron (Fe), Si and nitrogen (N) limitations, i.e. nutrients whose low concentrations during summer limit diatom production in the majority of the world ocean. One originality of this thesis is to study the copper (Cu) limitation, whose impact on the elemental composition and dissolution of diatoms has rarely been studied. The effects of micronutrient limiting conditions were studied on the pennate diatom Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima while macronutrient limiting conditions were studied on the centric diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii. The first stage of this work was to study the effect of nutrient limiting conditions at two different scales of diatoms frustule: the cell scale, with the study of the silicification degree of diatoms, and the frustule scale, with the study of its structure and composition using Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (FTIR). The second stage of this work consisted of the study of the diatom post-mortem fate through the study of the dissolution kinetics of bSiO2 from diatom frustule. The FTIR results clearly indicate that, in addition to the plasticity of global bSiO2 content, diatom frustule also has plasticity at the molecular scale, depending on growth conditions. The organization degree and the reactivity degree of the silica lattice are both affected by diatom nutritional environment. The relative amount of organic matter associated with frustule is also affected by nutrient availability. Through these changes, the nutritional environment affects the dissolution of diatom frustules, which showed a two-stage dissolution in all six dissolution experiments, illustrating the biphasic composition of the frustule. The results indicate that the growth conditions affect both the proportion and the dissolution rates of these bSiO2 phases. By changing the intrinsic properties of the bSiO2 phases, nutrient limited-frustules will be dissolving less than non-limited diatom frustule. Therefore, the diatom nutrient environment affects bSiO2 export. In P. delicatissima, only 9 % of the initial bSiO2 remained from replete cells at the end of the twenty-two days dissolution experiment, while about 25 % remained from Cu-starved and Fe-limited cells. Macronutrient-limited T. weissflogii were also more preserved after one month of dissolution with 41 % and 51 % of the initial bSiO2 remaining for cells predominantly Si- or N-limited, respectively, whereas 20% of the initial bSiO2 was preserved in replete cells. These results suggest that the biogenic silica dissolution in global ocean models could be better parameterized taking into account (i) the dissolution kinetics of the two bSiO2 phases and (ii) an enhanced bSiO2 preservation of nutrient-limited cells.

The work deals with the comparison of the export promotion policy of the Czech Republic and Austria. The first chapter describes the development, structure of the international trade and export position of the Czech Republic and Austria and subsequently compares the importance of export in both countries. The second and the third chapter characterize the export promotion system in the Czech Republic and Austria. The chapters focus at first on the concept of export promotion in both countries, its main objectives, projects and results and then on the main institutions dealing with the export promotion and their main services. The fourth chapter evaluates and compares the export promotion in both countries as far as its main concept, institutions and services are concerned.

The diploma thesis is diveded into 4 parts: basic information about the Republic of South Africa, Export of the goods to the Republic of South Africa, Import of goods from the Republic of South Africa, cultural differences. The thesis focuses on the atractivity of the Republic of South Africa as a business partner for the Czech companies.

Diploma paper deals with the comparison of pro-export policy in Czech Republic, Great Britain and Austria. The work describes the system of state promotion of exporting companies in monitored economies and focuses on the activities of particular institutions, which provide financial and non-financial support. In conclusion, the comparison of pro export policies in these countries is carried out in various points of view -- institutional framework, offered projects in the sphere of information, consultancy and education services and financial support.

The diploma thesis discusses the Czech club music scene in the context of the transformation of the music industry in recent years. The first section describes recent trends in the music market in the world and in the Czech Republic. The second part is devoted to the specifics of the management and promotion of Czech music scene at club level, defines classical models of contracts between artists, managers, record companies and other entities. The following chapter describes the possibilities of the multi-source financing of the club music scene. The next two chapters characterize cultural policies of Austria and Germany with a focus on creative industries and of the club music scene. The last part is devoted to a specific modelated project, an organization focused on music export and promotional activities.

The goal of this master thesis is to analyze issues connected to medical tourism, to show, how the Czech Republic could benefit from supporting this niche and imply whether this support is worth it. Bearing this in mind, I suggest a plan of medical tourism support, which could be implemented by the Czech Ministry of Health. In the theoretical part, the term medical tourism is defined and it is determined what implications medical tourism might have for both source and destination countries. The legal framework on medical tourism is described and I mention reasons why it should be the Ministry of Health's responsibility to support the segment. The analytical part describes and analyzes in depth the current state of medical tourism in the Czech Republic. A research on the hospitals' position on medical tourism has been carried out. Furthermore, a questionnaire had been sent to embassies of the Czech Republic around the world. Based on discoveries made in the analytical part, I conclude that although medical tourism in the Czech Republic has certain potential, this potential has its limits. The main limit might be that public hospitals have little motivation to seek for revenues outside of subsidies. In accordance with the aforementioned, I suggest a plan on medical tourism support for the Ministry of Health and a budget of its implementation is also established. The thesis also mentions its possible connection to medical export.

This Master thesis' aim is to compare the export policy in the Czech Republic and Finland. The foreign trade of the Czech Republic and Finland is analyzed in the first chapter with respect to the territorial and commodity structure. The second chapter deals with the export policy of the Czech Republic, its development, conceptual solution and institutional background. The third part describes the export policy in Finland. Both policies are compared in the fourth chapter based on their defined goals, priorities and tools that are being used. The final part of this chapter analyses the export promotion from the Czech and Finnish SME's point of view.

The topic of the master thesis Entry of Czech companies to foreign markets in cooperation with the agency CzechTrade is the company expansion to foreign markets and possible benefits from the cooperation with the state export-promoting agency CzechTrade. The main objective is the evaluation of conditions on the Mexican market for the entry of Czech companies. The secondary objective is to evaluate the possibilities of cooperation between the Czech firms which are seeking overseas expansion, and CzechTrade. This thesis will focus on the expansion to one specific market (Mexico) and on the activity of one particular Czech company (Kovobel), for the purpose of narrowing the topic and also to better illustrate it on one particular case. The thesis will produce findings and recommendations that would ultimately allow Czech companies to access the overall process before entering the Mexican market.

D.Comm. / Die identifisering en evaluering van suksesfaktore is 'n baie belangrike aspek in die strategiese beplanningsproses. Dit vorm die hoeksteen waarop 'n onderneming se strategie rus en dit dien as integrasiemeganisme tussen bestuur se langtermyn doelwitte en die kanalisering van skaars hulpbronne. Suksesfaktore kom basies op alle terreine binne die onderneming voor. Die terreine kan in drie groepe gegroepeer word, naamlik: die makro-omgewing (die onbeheerbare eksterne veranderlikes soos politiek, ekonomie, tegnologie, mededingers, en so meer insluit). Tweedens die mikro-omgevving (die onderneming self, oftewel die beheerbare interne situasie wat die onderneming se hulpbronne en sy mense insluit) en laastens die aard en omvang (eiesoortigheid) van die bedryfstak. Alhoewel suksesfaktore op basies alle terreine van die onderneming voorkom, verskil die faktore van bedryfstak tot bedryfstak en self van onderneming tot onderneming. Verskillende tegnieke kan gevolg word om suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Die tegnieke kan afsonderlik of gesamentlik gebruik word om moontlik suksesfaktore te identifiseer. Alle geidentifiseerde faktore is nie noodwendig suksesfaktore nie. Vir die gedentifiseerde faktore om as suksesfaktore geldassifiseer te word, moet dit: Die internasionale makro-omgewing is saamgestel uit verskeie elemente, te wete: die ekonomie, geologie en infrastruktuur, tegnologie, mededinging, die sosiokulturele, politiek en wetlike aspekte. Die ekonomie van 'n land kan onderverdeel word in verskeie aspekte naamlik: die grootte van die mark, die aard van ekonomiese aktiwiteite, handelsblok, beskerming en handelsbeperkinge. Elk van hierdie aspekte hou potensiele kritiese suksesfaktore vir ondernemings in. Die internasionale fisiese omgewing is hoofsaaklik saamgestel uit geografie en infrastruktuur. Geografie is die fisiese eienskappe van elke mark in terme van afstand, topografie, klimaat, weersomstandighede en natuurlike hulpbronne, terwyl infrastruktuur weer energie, vervoer en kommunikasie insluit. Kultuur word gesien as die aspekte wat meebring dat samelewings van mekaar verskil. Kultuur word aangeleer en is rue aangebore eienskappe nie. Kultuur kan tereg beskou word as 'n mensgemaakte omgewing. Alle aktiwiteite van die mens kan in vyf dimensies verdeel word en uit hierdie dimensies is kultuur saamgestel. Die dimensies is: Materiele kultuur: tegnologie en ekonomie; Sosiale instelling: sosiale organisasie, opvoeding en politieke strukture; Sedes: oortuigings, godsdiens, bygelowigheid en verwante magstrukture; Die estetiese: grafiese kuns, musiek, drama, dans en volkskunde; en Taal. Die politieke bestel en regering bepaal die klimaat waarin internasionale handel plaasvind. Ondernemings wat internasionale markte betree, moet deeglik kennis dra van die huidige vorm van regering, die stabiliteit van die regering en permanensie van regeringsbeleid. Ondernemings moet ook bewus wees van die feit dat hulle die prooi van politieke aksies kan wees. Die regering van die dag bepaal en maak die wette wat in 'n land gebruik word. Landswette en die toepassing daarvan verskil van land tot land. Dit is nie moontlik om 'n enkele wet as 'n suksesfaktor uit to lig nie, maar die kontrak tussen 'n onderneming en die gasheerland kan as 'n suksesfaktor uitgelig word. Tegnologie beteken in bemarking die toepassing van bestaande kennis, wat gebaseer is op wetenskaplike ontdekkings, uitvindings en innovasies. Nie alle lande is tegnologies ewe ver gevorderd nie en daarom moet 'n onderneming ag slaan op die tegnologiese gaping tussen lande voordat daar in die gasheerland bele word. Uit die hoofstuk kan die volgende as krities beskou word vir die bemarking van industriele produkte oorsee.