The first step of the hierarchical approach to the international market segmentation is described and demonstrated in this master's thesis. The theoretical part that covers the methodology, statistical background and secondary data sources is followed by the illustration of cluster analysis. The outcome is the division of thirty European countries into five segments with respect to the post-productive population. The formed segments are then characterised and interpreted. Their usability is shown in three challenges in the European Year of 2012, which is dedicated to Active Ageing.

This thesis focuses on the topic of VAT in EU member states. The aim is to specify groups of member states in accordance to the significance of VAT in national tax systems and to identify factors, which may affect the grouping process. The hierarchical method of cluster analysis based on the 1995, 2002, 2009 and 2017 data is used for sorting states into similarity-based groups. Macroeconomic indicators characterizing VAT are chosen for cluster analysis: VAT per capita, VAT share of GDP, VAT share of total tax revenues, Standard rate and Average reduced rate. Development of cluster structure during the period discovers an increasing number of states separated into one-member clusters for their remarkable dissimilarity. It also indicates, that member states classification as OMS or NMS still remains a significant factor of the clustering process. So-called old and new member states seem to appear together in one cluster rarely. Testing of hypothesis of VAT convergence concerning 28 EU member states during 1995-2017 (in the field of chosen variables) is another sub-target of this paper. Via application of basic statistics on timeline data, and especially evaluation of coefficient of variation development, the hypothesis of VAT convergence in the EU during years 1995-2017 is proven.

This thesis deals with the consumption taxes changes in the Member States of EU in relation with the harmonization process. Its goal is to find out via chosen indicators, whether the influence of the harmonization processes in an area of value added taxes and excise duty, brings Member States of EU closer in an area of consumption taxation. As the main method of data processing is used the cluster analysis for which three indicators of tax burden are selected. Via analysis the cluster processes are used in selected years 2000 and 2017. All Member States are included with the exception of Croatia and that is because absence of the data. The data that are used in the cluster analysis are extracted from the Eurostat and from the database of European Commission. The states are divided according to the similarity of taxation into particular clusters. The results are presented in a form of graphical outputs the so called dendrograms. The conclusion is comparison of researched years according to the harmonization process. According to the cluster analysis results gained via selected consumption tax indicators, there is no converge occurring in 2000 to 2017 between original EU-15 states and the new Member States which have joined EU in 2004 or later.

Cluster analysis includes a range of methods and practices that are used primarily for classification of objects. It takes an important role in many areas. Since the resulting distribution of objects into clusters may vary depending on the selected methods and specifications, it is appropriate to assess the results obtained. This paper proposes new ways of evaluating these results in a situation where objects are characterized by qualitative variables or by variables of different types. These coefficients can be used either to compare different methods (in terms of better outcomes) or for finding of the optimal number of clusters. All of them are based on the detection of variability which is also used for measuring of dissimilarity of objects and clusters. The newly proposed evaluation methods are applied to real data sets (of different sizes, with different number of variables, including variables of different types) and the behavior of these coefficients in different conditions is being examined. These data sets have known as well as unknown classification of objects into clusters. The best coefficient for evaluating clustering results with different types of variables can be considered, based on the analysis carried out, the modified coefficient of CHF. Local maximum value according to which the results of the clustering are evaluated, almost always exists. The analysis has proven that in most cases this value meets the expected results of the well-known classification of objects into clusters. The existence of local extremes of the other coefficients depends on specific data sets and is not always feasible.

In this work we deal with cluster analysis for functional data. Functional data contain a set of subjects that are characterized by repeated measurements of a variable. Based on these measurements we want to split the subjects into groups (clusters). The subjects in a single cluster should be similar and differ from subjects in the other clusters. The first approach we use is the reduction of data dimension followed by the clustering method K-means. The second approach is to use a finite mixture of normal linear mixed models. We estimate parameters of the model by maximum likelihood using the EM algorithm. Throughout the work we apply all described procedures to real meteorological data.

The main objective of this work is to analyze the prices of pork in selected EU countries in the period 2003-2013. This work consists of several parts. In the first part dealt with theoretical issues - agriculture sector, and therefore the Czech agriculture, the issue of the pricing in agriculture. The last part of the theoretical part contains a comparison of costs and revenues on a pig.The second part is called the methodology, this section contains instructions for calculations that are performed in solutions and results. The third part contains the results of calculations, because the prices of agricultural producers were used per 100 kg live weight and average annual wages. At the end of the work are collected all the results obtained in this work results.

Investigation of creatine- and adenylate phosphates involvement in fish spermatozoa metabolism is of high interest for fish spermatology. These compounds are necessary to support normal physiological state and motility of spermatozoa. The simultaneous changes in content of creatine- and adenylate phosphates in fish spermatozoa prior and during their motility are quite unclear. Therefore, studying and development of new methods for the quantification of creatine- and adenylate phosphates in spermatozoa of different fish species under such physiological conditions as maturation and in vitro manipulation are of high importance. One of the study outputs is the developed LC/HRPS (liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution product scan) method for the analysis of creatine- and adenylate phosphates content in fish spermatozoa (Chapter 2). Its main advantage is the possibility to detect and quantify several compounds (creatine, creatine phosphate (CP), AMP, ADP, ATP, and cAMP) simultaneously to obtain maximum information with minimum analytical effort. The method was validated taking into account such key parameters as limit of quantification, selectivity, recovery and repeatability. It represented an excellent performance allowing determination of target compounds in highly diluted fish sperm samples. Consequently, the method was applied for the quantification of aforementioned substances during sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) spermatozoa maturation and in vitro manipulation with sperm of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus maraena) and European eel (Anguilla Anguilla). The present study showed that immature sterlet spermatozoa are not able to initiate motility. Significant decrease of CP and stable levels of ATP and ADP content during their maturation were found. The critical importance of ATP regeneration system and oxidative phosphorilation for the maturation process of sterlet sperm as a prerequisite for successful fertilization was assumed (Chapter 3). Further experiments revealed that European eel spermatozoa were not able to initiate motility by activation medium (AM) at the start of the induced spermiation. They acquired the ability to be activated after the dilution with AM at the end of hormonal treatment. This accompanied by the increase of CP and cAMP levels in spermatozoa after activation. That allowed us to assume the involvement of ATP regenerating system and cAMP-dependent regulatory pathways in the process of hormonally induced spermiation (Chapter 4). Current study represents a first successful estimation of cAMP in fish spermatozoa during the motility period using the LC/HRPS. Important issues concerning the short-term storage of European eel sperm were rised. Storage at 4 °C was accompanied by higher marcoergic phosphates content and higher motility in comparison to the storage at 20 °C. It suggests the involvement of macroergic phosphates metabolism in short-term storage. (Chapter 4). Obtained results could contribute to the development of new effective methods for improving of spermiation and short-term sperm storage in European eel aquaculture. Various degrees of energy consumption in response to environment composition were found in whitefish spermatozoa. Energy consumption was significantly higher in motility activating conditions. No effect of osmolality was found on this process. The content of CP and ATP was significantly higher when cells were in motility inhibiting medium comparing to activation medium. No relationship between content of CP, ADP, and ATP and spermatozoa motility parameters in AM of different osmolality was found. Isotonic conditions favor the spermatozoa with longer motility period, higher linearity, and fast velocity without increase in ATP content (Chapter 5). This suggests that whitefish sperm energy management is more efficient after activation in isotonic conditions. Obtained results are of high interest for elaboration of new sperm motility activating media for fisheries practice.

This thesis is concerned with a comparison of excise duty on tobacco products in the Czech Republic and the member countries of the European Union. Its aim is to find groups of countries with similar indicators, to explore the similarities between these countries and to try to identify the possible effects that may cause differences. The thesis is divided into two parts. The theoretical part is focused on the characteristics of excise duties and primarily on excise duty on tobacco products. It deals with European Commission directives and minimum excise rates. The practical part deals with selected indicators related to excise duty on tobacco products. These indicators are excise duty on tobacco products as percentage of GDP and percentage of total taxation, specific excise per 1 000 cigarettes as percentage of WAP and excise yield in EUR per 1 000 cigarettes of the WAP. The last indicator is cigarettes consumption per capita, which is not included in the analysis. Data is processed by cluster analysis for the years 2003 and 2014 in computer software STATISTICA 12. The task of cluster analysis is to find groups of countries which are similar. The results of cluster analysis are described in the next chapters. The differences of the individual clusters and the possible influences that these differences may have caused are also described in the last chapters.

The main objective of the present diploma thesis is to evaluate the development and spatial differentiation of infant mortality of the Czech population. In the scope of the research, our intent is to focus on various factors that might influence infant mortality and the values of which are accessible in public databases. The first partial objective was to evaluate the development of infant mortality of the Czech population in the 20th century and at the beginning of the 21st century. The second partial objective was to delineate specifics of the development of infant mortality in connection with the development of related social and economic characteristics. The third partial objective was to analyse regional differences of infant mortality within the scope of the Czech Republic. Finally, the fourth partial objective was to provide the breakdown of infant mortality.In the framework of the thesis, the following hypotheses have been stipulated: H1: Infant mortality is steadily on the decrease, H2: In the Czech Republic, there exist regional differences in infant mortality, influenced by economic, social and environmental factors, H3: The structure of infant mortality gradually changes towards the shift of the highest level of infant mortality at the beginning of life.It was possible to confirm hypothesis H1, which was examined within a quantitative research, using the moving average method - base and chain indexes. Infant mortality has been on the decrease as early as since the beginning of the 20th century in the Czech territory. The reduction in infant mortality is affected by changes in prenatal and early neonatal mortality, which fact was contributed to by quality prenatal and neonatal diagnostics of endogen causes of mortality. Accordingly, the trend of reduction in infant mortality continues, specifically up to the value of 2.6 , which was, as the lowest value, recorded in the year 2012. Similarly, it was possible to confirm hypothesis H2, tested within a quantitative research, using factor and cluster analyses, which have showed differences in factors (stability of social relationships, education of women, quality of healthcare, economic activity of women and their marital status, nationality and unemployment of women) in the scope of individual districts. It was moreover possible to confirm hypothesis H3, evaluated within a quantitative research and processed by means of simple descriptive indicators and graphs. The proportion of neonatal mortality in infant mortality stands at the average value of 62% for the period of 12 years. In consequence, we may assume that the proportion of neonatal mortality (28 days after birth) in infant mortality will constantly have an above-the-average value in the future. Based on the breakdown of infant mortality, it has been ascertained that chiefly the highest values are reached by early neonatal mortality (0 - 6 days) and it has a decreasing trend for the period of 12 years, reaching the average value of 1.26. This finding also confirms hypothesis H3, for the reason that early neonatal mortality is the component of neonatal mortality that has held the above-the-average proportion of infant mortality.In conclusion, we have conducted a correlation analysis of infant mortality with factors generated by the factor analysis. This analysis confirmed unambiguously that infant mortality is affected chiefly by the stability of social relationships and education of women.The no less important conclusion of the present thesis is seen in the fact that in the future, the society and experts engaged in problems of infant mortality should be more interested in researching various factors that influence infant mortality from both the positive and negative aspects. Findings of this diploma thesis may serve in practice as a background for any demographic research concerned with infant mortality.

Fertility patterns in European Union Abstract The main objective of the thesis is to create a typology of fertility in the countries of European Union. The variables entering the analysis are demographic indicators of fertility (total fertility rate, mean age of women at first birth) and opinion poll Eurobarometer 75.4 (ideal number of children, sociodemographic variables). Fertility is analyzed from 1960 until 2014. The main part of the thesis focuses on 2011, when census and opinion poll were conducted. Deeper analysis is performed by using cluster analysis and Poisson regression. The result of the thesis is the typology of fertility based on theories explaining fertility changes and empirical analysis. Keywords: fertility, typology, European Union, ideal number of children, cluster analysis, Poisson regression