L’histoire de la Première République en Autriche révèle l’attachement de la plupart desAutrichiens à la Grande Allemagne jusqu’à l’avènement de l’Anschluss. En outre, il a souventété dit que les Autrichiens étaient des Allemands. Dans l’espace francophone, il semble peuclair qu’une volonté, d’abord politique, de détachement de l’Allemagne s’est dessinée àl’issue de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, volonté qui s’est transformée en un processus de prisede conscience nationale indépendante.L’émergence et le développement d’une conscience nationale autrichienne aboutissent à unenation autrichienne libre et indépendante dans le contexte de la Deuxième République. Denombreux résultats de sondages, suivant une logique chronologique, retracent l’évolution decette conscience nationale, ce qui vient en complément d’analyses de l’histoire politique etsociale de l’Autriche d’après-guerre jusqu’à nos jours. Ce processus est observé aux niveauxdes acteurs politique, de la population et des régions. En analysant ce phénomène de prise deconscience et son développement à divers niveaux, on finit par conclure que certainespersonnalités emblématiques, à l’instar du chancelier Kreisky, ont largement contribué à laconsolidation de ce sentiment national au travers d’une politique intérieure et extérieurequ’elles ont su mettre en place. De plus, on constate que des facteurs non négligeables telsque la Sozialpartnerschaft (partenariat social) et la Proporzdemokratie (démocratie à laproportionnelle) ont également contribué à l’affermissement de ce sentiment. Par ailleurs, l’onobserve aussi que ce processus d’identification nationale fut soumis à rude épreuve par deséléments nationaux-allemands, sous la bannière d’autres figures politiques comme JörgHaider, aussi charismatique que controversé. Malgré tout, l’adhésion à la nation autrichienne,précédée d’une prise de conscience nationale autrichienne, fut totale. Le décalage estégalement perceptible entre les trois niveaux précités que sont la politique, la population et lesrégions. Par exemple, l’adhésion à la nation autrichienne a été de durée variable selon lesrégions. Le suivi de l’évolution de ce sentiment national au profit de l’émergence d’une nationautrichienne constitue l’élément capital de ce travail. / The history of the Austrian First Republic brings to light the attachment of most Austrians tothe Greater Germany until the annexation in 1938. Moreover, it has often been said that theAustrians were Germans. In the French speaking world, it doesn’t seem so clear that a mainlypolitical will to separate from Germany showed off after the Second World War, and thenbecame an independent national awakening process.The emergence and development of an Austrian national consciousness lead to a free andindependent Austrian nation in the context of the Second Republic. Numerous poll resultsbased on a chronological analysis describe the evolution of this national consciousness. Theycomplement political and social history analysis from post war Austria to nowadays. Thisprocess can be observed in the fields of political players, of the population as well as on aregional scale. Studying the awakening of a national consciousness and its development onvarious levels leads to the conclusion that certain emblematic figures, such as ChancellorKreisky, have played a major role in the consolidation of this national feeling, through thenational and international politics they lead. Moreover, crucial factors such as theSozialpartnerschaft (social partnership) and the Proporzdemokratie (proportional democracy)have also contributed to strengthening this national feeling. Furthermore, it is also to benoticed that this national identification process was put to a severe test by pan-GermanicAutrians, under the banner of other political figures, such as Jörg Haider, who wascharismatic and controversial at the same time. Nonetheless, the adherence to the Austriannation, which followed the awakening of a national Austrian consciousness, was total. Thediscrepancies are also noticeable between the three fields mentioned above, which are thepolitics, population and regions. For instance, the adherence to the Austrian nation took moreor less time among regions.

Using annual reports of Austrian listed corporations between 1990 and 2005, we analyze how corporations theorize their social and societal responsibilities. We empirically illustrate that these organizations not only evoke several distinct domains of corporate responsibility, but also assign themselves and others specific positions in the social matrix of relevancy and power - which in turn gives rise to a distinct pattern on the field level. We discuss various features and implications of what we describe as a politicization of individual corporations at the price of a relocation of politics away from recognized and firmly institutionalized arenas of collective interest representation (i.e., the polity) as well as a broad-scale de-politicization of society.

Trade unions and environmental movements are often seen as political opponents most prominently discussed in the form of the "jobs vs. environment dilemma". Based on historical examples of the conflict relations between trade unions and environmental groups in the Austrian energy sector, this paper showcases how the relationship between the two groups has changed from enmity to first attempts at alliance building. Drawing from analysis of union documents and problem-centred interviews conducted with Austrian unionists, it shows that newly emerging alliances between unions and environmental movements contain the seeds for a broad societal movement that can help overcome the paradigm of growth and actively engage in the creation of policies that support a social-ecological transformation.

The paper analyses the degree of output persistence in GDP in order to empirically discriminate between the Solow growth model, the perfect competition endogenous growth model, the imperfect competition endogenous growth model, and the subcase of a multiple equilibria model of endogenous growth for the case of Austria. We find that a temporary shock in the growth rate of output induces a permanent and larger effect on the level of GDP. This leads us to refute the Solow growth model and the perfect competition model. We find strong empirical support for the imperfect competition growth model, but cannot fully rule out the possibility of multiple equilibria growth rates. / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

The main aim of the thesis is to present an analysis of the younger Bohemian branch of Sternberg dynasty. The author follows the life of Zdeněk Sternberg († 1900) in his role of an owner and a successful caretaker of the dominions of Radnice, Český Šternberk and Jemniště. Furthermore, the problematic of aristocratic marriages is reconstructed through studying the fates of his sons Alois († 1907) and Filip († 1924). This theme was supplemented by identifying those values which were of consequence when an adequate partner for a member of aristocracy was sought. The problematic is demonstrated on the situations of both Alois who spent all his life as a bachelor and his younger brother Filip who married and enjoyed a family life. The private world of three Zdeněk's daughters is also reconstructed. The examples of Zdenka Schnönborn († 1915) and Kunhuta Lobkowicz († 1916) offer an insight into their daily dealings within their new families while the youngest sister Karolína († 1930) spent her years unwed and childless. The particular style of aristocratic life is demonstrated on interests and entertainment which the aristocracy fostered (travelling, hunt, horsemanship, artistic interests, sport, games, reading, theatre etc.). The final part of the work focuses on disputes surrounding the issue of...

South Tyrol, which is situated on the border between Austria and Italy, has been considered a 'peace model' by many nation-states since the creation of the province's autonomy statutes. The objective of these statutes was to allow for minority protection of the German- and Ladin-speaking communities while also permitting Austria to be the 'protector' of South Tyrol even though the province is situated in Italy. Another bi-product of these statutes was the creation of the 'separate but equal' education system, which allowed the German-, Italian- and Ladin-speaking communities to have individual schools in order to protect their culture and language identity. In the past several decades, there has been an increase in 'mixed' marriages with members of differing language groups producing bilingual children. Additionally, civil service positions now require that all applicants have a mandatory comprehension of the L2, or in some cases L3, in order to apply for certain posts. As the education system tries to adjust to local concerns regarding the insufficient teaching of the L2 in monolingual education, the concept of South Tyrol as a 'peace model' is brought into question. In this thesis, I examine how the South Tyrolean school system is reflective of society at large as its divided education mirrors the current fissures existent amongst the language communities. With parents looking for alternative measures to instruct their children in the L2, some residents would prefer a bilingual schooling option to encourage inter-group assimilation. Furthermore, I discuss, outside of education, external social factors in the region which impact L2 learning creating language learning 'blocks' and 'victim' versus 'conqueror' mentalities. The objective of this research is to try and understand how South Tyrol continues to be in transition as the province adjusts to more bilingualism despite the historical need to preserve the language minorities.

In 2008, the global economy went into recession. Millions of jobs were lost, confidence in the financial markets fell and billions of dollars were lost by investors. Prior to the onset of the recession, the major economies of the world (USA, and Western Europe) had experienced a period of economic boom and expansion. Austrian Business Cycle Theory proposes that the roots of the current financial crisis and recessions in general, are found the actions of central banks through credit expansion and manipulation of interest rates. Central banks manipulate interest rates causing them to fall below the natural level, leading to credit expansion and malinvestments. Austrian Business Cycle Theory is based in capital theory. Capital theory incorporates the elements of time and money and allows the setting of a microeconomic foundation. The theory recognises that investment is not an aggregate (as do Keynesians and Monetarists). Opposition to empirical testing by Austrian economists has meant that few statistical analyses of Austrian Business Cycle Theory have been carried out. The apprehension toward empirical testing of Austrian Business Cycle Theory stems from some Austrian economists who argue that human behaviour cannot be captured in statistical terms. Recently, some Austrian economists have begun to do empirical research Austrian Business Cycle Theory and the thesis adds to that growing field. The thesis tests empirically for ABCT in South Africa by using Vector Error Correction Model and Granger causality techniques and the results are as follows: The Vector Error Correction Model shows that any disequilibrium adjustment in the structural equations influences correction mostly through changes in Manufacturing. The disequilibrium adjustment process for Investment is also found to have statistical significance. The results propose that Investment in South Africa is not inert. The Granger causality tests show that credit expansion causes interest rates to be artificially lowered leading to mal-investments. The main policy recommendation is that business cycles can be prevented by not manipulating interest rates and by not increasing credit availability.

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 aim of the diploma thesis is to characterize the development of Austria after World War Two, to chart its progressive integration into Europe and to evaluate its present position in the European Union. The first chapters of the thesis describe the economic and political development of Austria from 1945 to 2000; attention is paid to the gradual integration of Austria into the European Communities. Furthermore, the thesis concentrates on the development of Austria after 1995. It analyses the economic impact of its entry into the EU as well as its present position in the Union. It also discusses selected themes such as the first and second Austrian presidency of the EU, sanctions on Austria, the Austrian approach to the eastern enlargement of the EU and the Austrian citizens' view on the EU. It shortly addresses the contemporary relations of Austria and the Czech Republic.

The topic of this diploma thesis is comparison of online marketing communication in the Czech Republic and in Austria. The aim of this thesis to compare online marketing communication in the Czech Republic and Austria, describe its characteristics, identify main differences and analyze essential reasons for the differences. After the introduction part, in the second chapter, the theoretical grounds of marketing communication, internet, its characteristics and history, as well as online marketing communications are described. In the third chapter, both markets are described in detail, in terms of internet users, situation on the marketing communications markets and in terms of media consumption. In the fourth chapter, main common features and differences are analyzed. In the last chapter, the most significant reasons for the differences are analyzed, first in terms of macroeconomic influences, second in terms of the industry itself and third in terms of individual preferences. The main sources for the diploma thesis were theoretical books concerned with marketing communication, online marketing communication and internet, written in Czech, English and German. Furthermore, statistical data of national statistical offices, articles from magazines and online sources, printed and online studies of selected associations or companies as well as interviews with experts are used.