In the whole area of the Alps, the agro-structural change between 1980-2000 shows a significant decline of the farms (-40%). Alpine Regions with relatively stable situations (Austria, Switzerland) stand against those ones with major structural changes (Italy, Slovenia). The causes for these...

Standardized tests are, as it is well known, a highly controversial and widely debated topic. On the one side they are considered a relatively objective tool for measuring student achievement that consumes little class time and produces useful information on which teachers, school administrators...

The agro-structural change in the Alps has been gaining intensity steadily since 1980. Farms continuously feel the pressure to adapt to changed economic, political, and social conditions. Those diverge significantly between the different alpine countries but also within a country. Based on the...

In line with the EU strategy on smart and sustainable growth, there has been an increasing attention directed to Research and development activities in the Czech Republic. Gross expenditures on R&D have doubled between 2000 and 2008 and the private R&D sector remains the biggest contributor to...

In line with the EU strategy on smart and sustainable growth, increasing attention has been directed to Research and Development activities in the Czech Republic. Both public and private Gross Expenditures on R&D (GERD) have doubled between 2000 and 2008. Whereas the private sector still...

Developed economies are facing a problem of declining competitiveness on a global scale. The perspectives for sustaining the world economic leadership are associated with stimulating technological progress through innovations and investments to R&D. This is a challenge for the private sector but...

There is no consensus on the effects of small businesses development on poverty reduction. While some showed positive evidence, others have shown weak relationship.Those that showed negative or weak relationship did not indicate the factors responsible for this.Most of the existing studies have...

One of the advantages to analyze the economic links between two countries on the basis of stock market data, rather than aggregate economic data published by national statistical offices, is that stock market data are readily available, allowing analysis in almost real time. We consider a...