A country with non-existent unemployment: The special characteristics of the Czech labour market. OSW Report July 2019

The low unemployment rate in the Czech Republic is an effect of a number of structural and political factors which have generated a certain economic potential. This potential was achieved when external stimuli occurred in the form of economic boom, which has been visible especially since 2014. The policy adopted by each of the Czech governments during the recent recession and stagnation was of great significance, alongside the support for the economic policy through actions taken by the National Bank of the Czech Republic (above all the low interest rate policy and interventions on the currency market). One of the reasons why the unemployment rate in the Czech Republic continues to be low is the relatively low labour costs and the high level of the country’s industrialisation where the automotive industry, which heavily relies on the market situation, has an essential share. So-called ‘assembly plants’, i.e. industrial plants generating numerous jobs with low added value, also play an important role in reducing the scale of unemployment. A great number of such plants have been created in effect of investment incentives over the past twenty years (the wave reached its peak in 1998–2007). They were often created with the intention of reducing unemployment. At the same time, the Czech Republic, a developed country heavily reliant on exports, is extremely sensitive to changes in the economic situation in Europe. The Czech economy is particularly strongly influenced by the situation in other EU member states, which are the outlet for almost 85% of the Czech exports. Germany is a major player in this context as it accounts for a third of Czech exports and a quarter of its imports, and has engaged its capital fairly intensively in the Czech Republic

Concentration of Banking Sector and Loan Markups in Short Term: An Example from Poland

The aim of this paper is to present an analysis of the relationship between concentration of the banking sector and banks' markups on offered loans. The markup is understood as the difference between the rate offered by banks and the reference rate fixed by the Monetary Policy Council. The period between 2009 and 2013 was analyzed. Monthly data from the Polish banking sector were considered. This paper also consists of the literature review, which focuses on the mortgage market. The methodology used for the analysis is based mainly on simple linear regression techniques. It is found that such methods are not sufficient to give conclusive answers. Therefore additional future research is proposed

Causality in the Polish Housing Market: Evidence from Biggest Cities

The aim of the paper is to examine the causal relationship between the real property prices in biggest Polish cities within VAR model framework. Both offer and transactional prices are used. Existing stock market, as well as primary market are analysed. The data are quarterly and taken from 17 biggest Polish cities. The analysed period is 2006-2015. Both VAR and VECM approaches were applied. Their limitations and possible predictions were discussed. A significant interaction between various regional real estate markets in Poland has been observed. However, the leading role of the capital city could not be confirmed by the methodology used

Frustration and hope: Slovakia after Kuciak’s murder. OSW Point of View Number 75, July 2019

The murders of the investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée in February 2018 became the catalyst for the civic outrage that has brought about significant changes on the Slovak political scene. This has mainly affected the long-ruling party Smer- SD and its leader Robert Fico, who resigned as prime minister under public pressure. However, the main opposition forces have benefited from the protests to only a small degree, as large sections of society perceive the opposition leaders as unreliable. New political projects have benefited from the social agitation, primarily the Progressive Slovakia party, co-founded by Zuzana Čaputová who won the presidential election in March on a wave of slogans calling for the repair of the state and the restoration of justice. The outgoing President Andrej Kiska is also forming his own political party with a centrist agenda

France et Europe centrale : les intermédiaires

L'Europe centrale et orientale est composée de dix-sept pays. Le nombre de nations et de langues y dépasse la trentaine et, à côté des quatre grandes confessions chrétiennes – sans même parler des sectes – la religion juive et l'Islam y sont également représentés depuis des siècles. Autant dire qu'on peut être historien de la Bohême ou du Monténégro mais pas de l'Europe centrale et orientale, même si on laisse de côté la Russie qui en fait pourtant partie, tout en étant un monde en soi. D'où ..

TB150: Water Tables, Soil Temperatures, and Morphological Characteristics in Selected Maine Soils

Water table and soil temperature data were collected from 34 soil map units representing 17 different soil series in Maine. Soil morphology was also described at each site. Water table height, soil temperature, and morphological data are presented for each map unit studied. Relationships between water table heights and duration, and the morphological characteristics of the soils are discussed.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_techbulletin/1050/thumbnail.jp

INTEGRATING MODELLING AND DATA ANALYSIS IN TEACHING DISCRETE EVENT SIMULATION

ABSTRACT The growing popularity of stochastic discrete event simulation in areas such as telecommunication, combined with much marketing hype about ease of use, has coaxed some practitioners into a misguided belief that choosing prefabricated components from libraries and configuring them into a model by pointing and clicking is all that is needed. While neglect of statistical aspects of simulation has already led to some highly problematic published results, this erroneous assumption must also be guarded against in university teaching. This paper therefore argues for the importance of teaching those issues that critically affect the analysis and credibility of a simulation's results alongside those methods and tools targeted at the needs of model design and construction