CES VSEM (within the framework of GF VSEM) is a recipient, more precisely a co-recipient of two long-term research projects in progress since 2005, in which the majority of its internal and external employees are involved.

CES VSEM Projects

1) Competitiveness and innovation performance in globalized and knowledge-based economy (GACR 2008-2009, GA402/08/1798) – The research has been structured into four key segments of quality-based competitiveness focusing on the specifities of the new EU members:(1) growth and convergence factors - differentiating between the processes of real and nominal convergence and their implications for the weakening cost-based competitiveness, and identifying the role of qualitative factors of long-term growth performance ( research and development, human resource quality, and information technology); (2) internationalization of production, trade and research - differentiating the performance and role of the domestic and foreign sectors in the economy (including external trade flows and their qualitative intensity), and identifying the implications of sectoral duality for the extent and intensity of technology transfer; (3) structural features of growth and competitiveness - identifying alternative methodology approaches to the evaluation of national innovation system segments on sectoral, industry and regional levels, and specifying institutional preconditions of their efficiency on the partial markets level; (4) innovation performance and information society - identifying specific features of methodology in the analysis of the role of information and communication technology on alternative (des)aggregation levels reaching from (macroeconomic) growth performance to business competitiveness.

2) Research Centre for Competitiveness of Czech economy - CVKS (Ministry for Education, Youth and Sports 2005-2011, 1M0524) – CES/GF VSEM is the author of the project and at the same time its co-recipient as it also professionaly guarantees three of the four research areas (the fourth area is guaranteed by the National Observatory of Employment and Training). The subject of research activity is the analysis of the sources and results of the Czech economy competitiveness and the consequences of achieving the goals of the Lisbon strategy. The competitiveness of the Czech Republic in international comparison (EU-27) is evaluated in relation to conditions for successful transition to a knowledge-based economy in key and mutually interconnected qualitative factors of institutional quality, innovation performance and human resources quality against a background of growth performance and macroeconomic stability. Importance is placed on the specifics of transitive countries in the process of economic and technological convergence and on identifying the implications of existing development trends for economic policy practice. Analysis is based on comprehensive methodical approaches which combine primary and secondary data and on differentaitng of macroeconomic, branch, regional and corporate level. The aim of the project is to create qualified analytical bases for the decision-making of economic policymakers and economic subjects for the support of the successful transition of the Czech Republic to a knowledge-based economy.

Completed Projects

1) Growth performance and qualitative competitiveness of the Czech economy (GACR 2005-2007, GA402/05/2210) – CES/GF VSEM is the author of the project and recipient of the grant (a co-recipient is the National Observatory of Employment and Training, NTF). The project comprehensively analyses sources and results of growth performance and qualitative competitiveness of the Czech Republic and identifies related politico-economic implications for support of the transition to a knowledge-based economy. The project is structured into four areas: the growth performance and real convergence area analyses economic growth differentiating between supply and demand factors including their impact on macroeconomic balance. The institutional quality area assesses the quality of governance and the business environment and identifies their relation to performance characteristics. The competitive advantage and innovation performance area evaluates the qualitative level of economic activities in terms of ecploitation of its own innovation capabilities. The human resources quality area evaluates the level and structure of supply and demand for skills and education opportunities within the framework of life-long learning. Cross-sectionally, importance is placed on the creation and application of adequate analytical approaches (as a consequence of theoretical bases) which enable an eveluation of the Czech Republic position within the EU-27 and an explanation of the causes of the state and developmental trends of growth and qualitative characteristics.

CES VSEM Publications

Publishing activities are realized in the framework of the above mentioned research projects. Outputs involve mainly working papers (individual research studies), monographs (collections of research outputs), articles (mainly in professional periodicals), participation in conferencies and seminars, organization of workshops and seminars focused on own research outputs, information bulletin, periodical Competitiveness Yearbook of the Czech Republic (published in cooperation with the National Observatory of Employment and Training).