Assessing stakeholders’ needs and expectations: A business transfer matchmaking-platform from a marketing perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-33
Author(s):  
Sophie Wiesinger ◽  
Alexandra Fratric ◽  
Margarethe Uberwimmer
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Ownership Transfer ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Successful Business ◽  
Business Succession ◽  
Stakeholder Needs ◽  
Practical Implications

Even though almost half a million companies in Europe are transferred every year, only 30% of family-owned businesses manage to complete this process successfully. Therefore, a matchmaking platform to facilitate national and transnational business succession was developed as a part of the Interreg ENTER-transfer project (Interreg Central Europe, CE 1158). In this article, the authors present the platform, its planned functionalities, as well as feedback which was collected from future users and public authorities (i.e. future “customers”). To ensure maximal functionality of the platform and the fulfillment of stakeholder needs, which are prerequisites of a successful go-to-market and high future user frequency, qualitative interviews with public authorities and an additional 23 interviews with potential users from Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland were conducted. Based on the data collected, the authors identified the prerequisites, motivations, essential infrastructure, cooperation possibilities, problematic elements, and specific consulting requirements necessary to develop and implement successful business ownership transfer. The analysis of the information gathered during the interviews as well as practical implications stemming from the data and its effect on the platform development and marketing will be presented in this article.

Obstacles and Challenges of Business Succession in Central Europe

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 24-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmin Schiefer ◽  
Margarethe Überwimmer ◽  
Robert Füreder ◽  
Yasel Costa
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Innovation Potential ◽  
Private Entrepreneurs ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Business Succession

The transfer of a business to the next generation is a very important issue entailing several different social and economic influences. Failed business successions cause a loss of jobs, company knowledge and innovation potential. Creating an environment where business transfer is supported should therefore be of major importance for company owners and for policy makers. For better succession planning it is important to know the obstacles and challenges associated with business succession. Especially Eastern European countries face many challenges as these countries have no experience in business succession. To analyze the obstacles and challenges of business succession in Central Europe, three Eastern countries (CZ, SK and PL) with no experience in business succession were analyzed and compared to Austria where half of family businesses are at least in their second generation. Literature analysis and two focus groups with stakeholders (local public authorities and private entrepreneurs) were undertaken in all four countries. The results show that one of the main obstacles and challenges for business succession is the absence of a successor. Especially in Austria, this is recognized as the main obstacle. The Eastern countries (CZ, SK and PL) face different challenges to Austria that can mainly be explained by the lack of experience and supporting schemes for business succession. Especially knowledge and awareness related obstacles play an important role in Eastern European countries. Business succession is an individual process involving many emotions; therefore psychological and social issues are perceived as a huge obstacle in each analyzed country. Austria has a lot of experience with successful business transfers and offers various support mechanisms. However, many similar problems to Eastern countries were detected. A change of the business succession environment and the raising of awareness of the topic is therefore necessary in all investigated countries.

scholarly journals Methods for Estimating Avoidable Costs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4964
Author(s):  
Beata Gavurova ◽  
Miriama Tarhanicova
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Excessive Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Cost Of Disease ◽  
Lost Productivity ◽  
Excessive Alcohol ◽  
The Cost

Background: Alcohol is a risk factor with serious consequences for society and individuals. This study aims to present methods and approaches that might be used to estimate the costs related to excessive alcohol consumption. It emphasizes the need for general methods and approaches that are easily applicable, because the level of digitalization and data availability vary across regions. The lack of data makes many methods inapplicable and useless. The ease of applicability will help to make cost-of-illness studies and their results comparable globally. Methods: This study is based on data from the Czech Republic in 2017. Drinking alcohol results in costs of healthcare, social care, law enforcement, and administrative costs of public authorities. To quantify the cost of drinking in the Czech Republic, the top-down approach, bottom-up approach, human capital approach and attributable fractions were used. Results: In 2017, the cost related to alcohol was estimated at 0.66% of the national GDP. Lost productivity represented 54.45% of total cost related to alcohol. All cost related to alcohol is considered to be avoidable. Conclusions: The methods and approaches applied to estimate the cost of disease or any other health issue should be generalized regarding the availability of data and specifics of provided services to people who are addicted or have any kind of disability.

The sediment of the Hostivar Reservoir (Prague, Czech Republic) as a memory of 45 years of pollution

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-213
Author(s):  
Lucie Soucková ◽  
Dana Kominkova
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons ◽  
Reservoir Sediment ◽  
Terrestrial Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sediment Extraction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Us Epa ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the historical pollution of the Hostivar Reservoir (largest reservoir in Prague) sediment by metals, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and identify the trends in pollution of aquatic environment. Design/methodology/approach Core samples, 140 cm long, recording the 45-year history of the reservoir, were separated to 5 cm width subsamples (approximately 1.5 years of sedimentation) and analyzed for metals (Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Ni, Al), PAH and PCB. Following methods were used: US EPA 3051 for metals, US EPA 505 and US EPA 8082 A for PCB, and ISO 18287:2006 for PAH. Findings Most of the contaminants had the highest concentration at the beginning of the existence of the reservoir, suggesting that the contamination results from construction activities. Significant decrease of Pb occurred in the second half of the 1990s. It was caused by termination of the addition of lead as a detonation suppressant to the gasoline. Most concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and metals, except copper do not present eco-toxicological risk. Practical implications The results show the volume of priority pollutants removed from the reservoir by sediment extraction, and point risk to the terrestrial environment due to application of the sediment in the construction of a noise protecting wall. Originality/value The paper presents unique data about historical contamination of the largest reservoir in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic. It shows how the watershed and the construction phase of the dam cause a pollution of the reservoir sediment and possible environmental risk for aquatic biota.

Structure and Dynamics of Escalation from the Batterer's Perspective

2002 ◽  
Vol 83 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeev Winstok ◽  
Zvi Eisikovits ◽  
Richard Gelles
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intimate Violence ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Structure And Dynamics ◽  
Related Cost ◽  
Cohabiting Couples ◽  
Societal Reaction ◽  
Practical Implications

Most theories dealing with the escalation of intimate violence have examined the components of escalation, rather than the dynamic processes involved. This paper develops a theoretical model addressing the structure and dynamics of escalation. To develop the model, we studied the transition between nonviolent and violent realities of cohabitant couples from the male partner's perspective. A sample of 25 interviews was selected from a database consisting of 120 in-depth qualitative interviews that were collected for a larger study dealing with the experience of violence among cohabiting couples that remained together in spite of the violence. Sampling, data collection, and data analysis followed the principles of grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Findings indicate that the men interviewed perceive themselves as entitled and obligated to defend their dyadic existential frameworks, while recognizing the costs and benefits involved in the use of violence to achieve this end. These men tend to create the rules, judge when the rules are being infringed upon, and take steps to enforce the rules. Their evaluation of the extent of their control over their own actions and the related cost–benefit considerations are highly influential in their attempts to reestablish the lost balance in their dyadic life. The process of constructing a reaction to their partner's behavior consists of two distinctive but interrelated phases: (a) identifying an action by the partner and constructing it into being worthy of reaction; (b) constructing an appropriate reaction. Men's construction of the escalation process is not random or situational, but rather constructed within a set of personal, interpersonal, and socially recognized scripts that delineate the boundaries of the entire process. Theoretical and practical implications for assessing the risk of violence and subsequent societal reaction are suggested, as well as directions for future research.

Transitional Justice and Changing Memories of the Past in Central Europe

2013 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-44
Author(s):  
Roman David
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Divided Societies ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Impact

Memories of wrongdoings are often viewed as an obstacle to reconciliation in divided societies. Is it due to the past or the present politics of the past? To examine the dilemma of essentialism versus presentism, this article investigates the impact of transitional justice on memories of wrongdoing. It theorizes that using different transitional justice strategies to deal with the same wrongdoing shapes memories in different ways. The theory is tested via vignette-based surveys in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, which adopted distinct lustration laws. The results show that wrongdoing is viewed through lustration laws, reflecting present power constellations, not history.

Energy consultants calculating sustainability for residential buildings

Facilities ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (11/12) ◽  
pp. 825-838 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Andre Søraa ◽  
Håkon Fyhn ◽  
Jøran Solli
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the role of a particular energy calculator in enhancing the energy efficiency of existing homes by asking how this calculator was developed and how it is domesticated by craftspeople working as energy consultants.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on qualitative interviews with users and producers of the energy calculator (n= 22), as well as participation in energy consultation training.FindingsThe paper finds that, in the energy calculator, there is a striking lack of connection between the domestication and script because of lack of energy consultants’ involvement in the design and implementation process.Practical implicationsThe enrolment of energy consultants as energy calculator users earlier in and throughout the design process could be valuable in making the transition to an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly building sector.Social implicationsThe paper argues for recognition of the role of energy consultants, especially craftspeople, as participants in the design process for tools of governance. This is a call to acknowledge the value of particular skills and experiences possessed by craftspeople doing home consultation.Originality/valueBy understanding the intricate developer–user synchronicity in tools developed for upgrading the building sector, energy mitigation can be made more effective.

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