Thesis title: Business contracts with consumers The objective of this thesis is to analyse current legislation in Czech Republic regarding consumer law, especially business contracts concluded with customers. The main objective of this thesis is the assessment of selected provisions of the consumer legislation from entrepreneur's view and analyse whether the consumer protection provisions in question are justified and not unreasonably limiting for the entrepreneur. The thesis is divided into 5 main chapters. Each of them deals with selected aspects of the topic in question. For the completion of the thesis were used domestic and foreign resources, especially legislation, specialised literature and the case-law. First chapter is introductory and contains my reasons and motivation for the choice of the thesis topic. Second chapter briefly summarizes world history of consumer law and history of consume law in Czech Republic. The focus is mainly on putting the Czech consumer law into context with European Union consumer law, because it is primarily based on it. The aim of the third chapter is to carefully define the main terms of consumer law which will be used in the whole thesis. The fourth chapter is the most comprehensive and forms the core of the entire thesis. It is divided into four thematic...

Les start-up représentent un vivier important de création d'emplois et de richesses. La forte hétérogénéité de leurs trajectoires conduit à s'interroger sur les éléments à l'origine du processus de croissance. La plupart des recherches antérieures réalisées sur cette question soulignent le rôle central du dirigeant, essentiellement en termes de capacité à perdre le contrôle au sein de l'entreprise et de motivation à la croissance. En s'inscrivant dans le cadre d'analyse de la gouvernance élargie, qui invite à prendre simultanément en compte les visions coercitives et cognitives de la gouvernance, cette recherche s'intéresse aux profils des 2703 dirigeants de start-up ayant été soutenues par le Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche entre 1999 et 2012. L'objectif principal est de comprendre les liens qui existent entre les représentations de ces dirigeants en matière de croissance et de gouvernance et les trajectoires de leur société. Les résultats mettent en évidence l'existence de quatre idéaux-types d'entrepreneurs. Les indépendants ont une vision cognitive de la gouvernance et considèrent que les actionnaires doivent avoir un pouvoir habilitant d'apport de compétences, de connaissances et de réseau. Ils attendent de la croissance qu'elle leur offre une indépendance plus forte, et sont à la tête d'une société ayant connu une certaine croissance dans le passé ; ils ne sont plus réellement motivés pour continuer à la faire croitre. Les collectifs ont une vision hybride de la gouvernance, centrée principalement sur le rôle coercitif managérial des actionnaires mais aussi sur leurs apports cognitifs. Ces dirigeants ne voient la croissance que de manière positive et, contrairement aux indépendants, si leur société n'a pas encore connu la croissance, ils y sont fortement motivés. Les managers ont uniquement une vision coercitive financière de la gouvernance ; ils anticipent la croissance comme un moyen de consolider une société qui a déjà vu sa taille fortement augmenter par le passé. Leur motivation à la croissance est également très élevée. Finalement, les autocentrés n'accordent qu'un rôle extrêmement faible aux actionnaires ; ils ont une vision négative de la croissance, sont à la tête d'une société qui n'a pas connu de croissance passée et ne souhaitent pas que cela change dans le futur. En conclusion, nous observons des relations fortes entre les représentations des dirigeants en matière de gouvernance et de croissance, et les trajectoires des start-up qu'ils dirigent. / Start-ups' represent a large pool of job and wealth creation. The high heterogeneity of their trajectories raises questions about the factors behind the growth process. Most previous research on this issue highlights the central role of the entrepreneur, primarily in terms of ability to lose control within the company and motivation for growth. This research is embedded in the broader conception of corporate governance that calls for taking into account simultaneously disciplinary and cognitive views of governance. This study analyzes the 2,703 entrepreneurs' profiles of start-ups which have been supported by the French Ministry in charge of Research between 1999 and 2012. The main objective is to understand the relationship between entrepreneurs' representations in terms of growth and governance and the trajectories of their firms. The results show the existence of four types of entrepreneurs. The independent entrepreneurs have a cognitive approach to corporate governance and consider that shareholders should have an enabling power by bringing skills, knowledge and network to the firm. They expect that growth could offer them greater independence, and are at the head of a company having experienced some growth in the past; they are still more motivated to continue to grow. The collective entrepreneurs have a hybrid approach to governance, centered primarily on managerial disciplinary role of shareholders but also on their cognitive contributions. These entrepreneurs only see growth in a positive way and, unlike independent entrepreneurs, if their company has not yet experienced growth, they are highly motivated for growth. The entrepreneurs-managers have only a disciplinary financial governance view; they anticipate growth as a way to consolidate the company that has seen its size greatly increased in the past. Their motivation to growth is also very high. Finally, self-centered entrepreneurs accord only extremely small role to shareholders; they have a negative view of growth, are at the head of a company which has no past growth and do not want to change in the future. To conclude, we observe a strong relationship between entrepreneurs' representations in terms of governance and growth, and the trajectories of the start-ups they lead.

Muitos estudos analisam as características do empreendedor relacionando-as com desempenho (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), com a descoberta de oportunidades empreendedoras (Shane, 2000), criação de novos empreendimentos (Gartner, 1985), entre outros. Em empresas baseadas em conhecimento a inovação é fundamental para a competitividade, refletido na capacidade de lançar novos produtos. Essa prerrogativa leva incubadoras a buscarem em seus processos de seleção empresas que apresentem potencial inovativo, analisando tanto o plano de negócios e a ideia, quanto as capacidades do time de gestão ou do empreendedor proponente da ideia (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). Assim, o objetivo geral desse estudo foi analisar a contribuição do background do empreendedor para a inovação de produtos em empresas incubadas de base tecnológica do estado de São Paulo. Especificamente, o estudo busca (1) identificar o background dos empreendedores de empresas vinculadas a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica; (2) Identificar o nível de inovação de produtos dessas empresas; (3) identificar a relação entre o background do empreendedor e a inovação de produtos nessas empresas; e (4) identificar a interferência do tamanho da organização nessas relações. Para alcançar esses objetivos, o estudo foi conduzido junto a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica localizadas no Estado de São Paulo, envolvendo 461 organizações. Um modelo conceitual foi elaborado, incluindo variáveis de input (características do empreendedor - educação e experiência), output (número de produtos lançados no mercado) e moderadora (tamanho da empresa). Um questionário foi aplicado aos gestores das empresas incubadas, resultando em 95 respostas válidas. Uma análise quantitativa foi realizada, baseado principalmente no método estatístico Regressão Logística. Como resultado, foi preliminarmente concluído que o background do empreendedor, particularmente, a formação técnica, tem uma importante associação com a inovação de produtos. Além disso, o tamanho da organização moderou significativamente essa relação, indicando que em empresas maiores parece indicar uma contribuição mais significativa da área de educação técnica - particularmente em disciplinas exatas, para a inovação em produtos. Já em empresas menores, além da associação significativa da educação técnica do empreendedor, a experiência também foi significativa para a inovação de produtos em empresas menores. Indicando que em empresas menores o conhecimento centra-se no empreendedor, enquanto que empresas maiores, o conhecimento é disseminado na equipe. Essas descobertas, a serem confirmadas em estudos futuros e considerando as limitações do presente estudo, complementam a literatura e abre novas perspectivas para instruir incubadoras a selecionarem melhor suas empresas incubadas / Many studies look entrepreneurial characteristics relating them with performance (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), discovering new entrepreneurial opportunities (Shane, 2000), creation of new enterprises (Gartner, 1985), among others. In knowledge-based enterprises innovation is fundamental to competitiveness, reflected in their capacity of launching new products. This prerogative leads incubators to seek in their selection processes companies that present innovative potential, analyzing both, the business plan and the idea, as well as, the entrepreneurial or management team capabilities (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). The overall objective of this study was to analyze the contribution of the background of entrepreneurs to the innovative performance in technology-based Businesses Incubated Firms. More specifically, the study tries: (1) to identify the background of entrepreneurs of companies linked to technology based business incubators; (2) Identify the level of product innovation of these firms; (3) Identify the relationships between the background of the entrepreneur and the product innovation of the firms; and (4) Identify the interference of the size of the firms on these relationships. The study was conducted together incubators located in the State of São Paulo, evolving 461 organizations. A conceptual model was conceived, including input (entrepreneurial characteristics - education and experience), output (number of innovative products launched to the market) and moderating (firm size) variables. A questionnaire was applied to the general managers of the incubators, resulting in 95 valid answers. A quantitative analysis was made, based mostly on logistic regression statistical methods. As a result, it was preliminary concluded that entrepreneur background, particularly, the technical education, has an important influence on product innovation level. Also firm size moderated significantly those relationships, indicating that in larger firms it seems to appear a more significance contribution of technical education area - particularly in exact disciplines - to firm innovative performance. In smaller enterprises, in addition to significant association of entrepreneur\'s technical education, the experience was significant to product innovation, that indicate in smaller firms the organizational knowledge focuses on entrepreneur, while in larger companies the organizational knowledge is disseminated among the team. These finds, to be confirmed in future studies and considering the limitations of the present investigation, complement the literature and open new perspectives on the most adequated firms and managers to be selected to take place in Incubators

Muitos estudos analisam as características do empreendedor relacionando-as com desempenho (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), com a descoberta de oportunidades empreendedoras (Shane, 2000), criação de novos empreendimentos (Gartner, 1985), entre outros. Em empresas baseadas em conhecimento a inovação é fundamental para a competitividade, refletido na capacidade de lançar novos produtos. Essa prerrogativa leva incubadoras a buscarem em seus processos de seleção empresas que apresentem potencial inovativo, analisando tanto o plano de negócios e a ideia, quanto as capacidades do time de gestão ou do empreendedor proponente da ideia (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). Assim, o objetivo geral desse estudo foi analisar a contribuição do background do empreendedor para a inovação de produtos em empresas incubadas de base tecnológica do estado de São Paulo. Especificamente, o estudo busca (1) identificar o background dos empreendedores de empresas vinculadas a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica; (2) Identificar o nível de inovação de produtos dessas empresas; (3) identificar a relação entre o background do empreendedor e a inovação de produtos nessas empresas; e (4) identificar a interferência do tamanho da organização nessas relações. Para alcançar esses objetivos, o estudo foi conduzido junto a incubadoras de empresas de base tecnológica localizadas no Estado de São Paulo, envolvendo 461 organizações. Um modelo conceitual foi elaborado, incluindo variáveis de input (características do empreendedor - educação e experiência), output (número de produtos lançados no mercado) e moderadora (tamanho da empresa). Um questionário foi aplicado aos gestores das empresas incubadas, resultando em 95 respostas válidas. Uma análise quantitativa foi realizada, baseado principalmente no método estatístico Regressão Logística. Como resultado, foi preliminarmente concluído que o background do empreendedor, particularmente, a formação técnica, tem uma importante associação com a inovação de produtos. Além disso, o tamanho da organização moderou significativamente essa relação, indicando que em empresas maiores parece indicar uma contribuição mais significativa da área de educação técnica - particularmente em disciplinas exatas, para a inovação em produtos. Já em empresas menores, além da associação significativa da educação técnica do empreendedor, a experiência também foi significativa para a inovação de produtos em empresas menores. Indicando que em empresas menores o conhecimento centra-se no empreendedor, enquanto que empresas maiores, o conhecimento é disseminado na equipe. Essas descobertas, a serem confirmadas em estudos futuros e considerando as limitações do presente estudo, complementam a literatura e abre novas perspectivas para instruir incubadoras a selecionarem melhor suas empresas incubadas / Many studies look entrepreneurial characteristics relating them with performance (Lumpkin & Dess, 1996), discovering new entrepreneurial opportunities (Shane, 2000), creation of new enterprises (Gartner, 1985), among others. In knowledge-based enterprises innovation is fundamental to competitiveness, reflected in their capacity of launching new products. This prerogative leads incubators to seek in their selection processes companies that present innovative potential, analyzing both, the business plan and the idea, as well as, the entrepreneurial or management team capabilities (Aerts, Matthyssens & Vandenbempt, 2007). The overall objective of this study was to analyze the contribution of the background of entrepreneurs to the innovative performance in technology-based Businesses Incubated Firms. More specifically, the study tries: (1) to identify the background of entrepreneurs of companies linked to technology based business incubators; (2) Identify the level of product innovation of these firms; (3) Identify the relationships between the background of the entrepreneur and the product innovation of the firms; and (4) Identify the interference of the size of the firms on these relationships. The study was conducted together incubators located in the State of São Paulo, evolving 461 organizations. A conceptual model was conceived, including input (entrepreneurial characteristics - education and experience), output (number of innovative products launched to the market) and moderating (firm size) variables. A questionnaire was applied to the general managers of the incubators, resulting in 95 valid answers. A quantitative analysis was made, based mostly on logistic regression statistical methods. As a result, it was preliminary concluded that entrepreneur background, particularly, the technical education, has an important influence on product innovation level. Also firm size moderated significantly those relationships, indicating that in larger firms it seems to appear a more significance contribution of technical education area - particularly in exact disciplines - to firm innovative performance. In smaller enterprises, in addition to significant association of entrepreneur\'s technical education, the experience was significant to product innovation, that indicate in smaller firms the organizational knowledge focuses on entrepreneur, while in larger companies the organizational knowledge is disseminated among the team. These finds, to be confirmed in future studies and considering the limitations of the present investigation, complement the literature and open new perspectives on the most adequated firms and managers to be selected to take place in Incubators