FINANCIAL IMPACT OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND HOW TO MEASURE THE CONSEQUENCES

This article shows the economic impact of mental illness, as well as various cost-estimating approaches. To assess the burden of mental diseases, there are three different ways: the human capital, the economic growth and the value of statistical life approach. The first focuses on indirect and direct costs. Moreover, the effect of mental illness on economic development can only be approximated implicitly. Thus, the lack of production is primary estimated for somatic conditions compared to their corresponding quantity of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The total economic productivity drop associated with mental illnesses between 2011 and 2030 is rated to be US$16.3 trillion globally. Furthermore, the value of statistical life (VSL) method suggests that trade-offs between risks and capital should be used to assess the probability of injury or death due to psychiatric illness. This computation is equivalent to that of cardiovascular disease and bigger than that of cancer. However, greater activism is required to better the existing condition.

INNOVATION PERFORMANCE OF CZECH AND FINNISH MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES AND THEIR POSITION IN THE EU

The aim of this article is to assess the innovation performance of innovative small, medium-sized, and large enterprises operating in the manufacturing industry in two European countries – the Czech Republic (CR) and Finland, and to determine their position within the EU based on a comparison with average values of created Fictitious EU Country (FEUC). The FEUC includes the indicators and population of the EU member countries whose data were available. The performed analysis is based on the use of selected key performance indicators (related mainly to inputs that are expected to contribute to innovations) evaluating the enterprises´ innovation performance. The conducted research tries to identify the most significant drivers of innovation performance with regard to the size group of enterprises. Moreover, the achieved results are further compared within the innovation environment of the CR and Finland as well as the EU as a whole. It is worth highlighting the innovation resources of Finnish mainly small but partly also medium-sized enterprises, which in some monitored indicators occupy a much more significant share than in the case of the CR. This fact can indicate a particular signal, which size group of enterprises should become a target group of public support aiming to boost innovation performance.

KONSTRUKCE TESTŮ A EMPIRICKÉ VÝSLEDKY TESTOVÁNÍ

In comparison to other domains of education, assessment in that of foreign language teaching has some specific features. Testing language skills is unique because language is not only the content but also the tool of measurement. The research team created a bank of items used for testing. This item bank comprises files of items which make it possible to create a great number of subtests. These include terms and professional vocabulary corresponding to real requirements put on employees in practice. Using the item bank, achievement and check tests were created. Thus, from the functional point of view, the diagnostic function prevails. Achievement tests are not only aimed at measuring the success of individual students but also at the success of the teacher. From the point of view of the interpretation of the results, achievement test are predominantly dealt with. These enable cooperation with a real number of items and tested students.

FORMÁT VÝUKY PŘEVRÁCENÉ TŘÍDY V ON-LINE PROSTŘEDÍ V HODINÁCH HOSPODÁŘSKÉ ANGLIČTINY NA VYSOKÉ ŠKOLE

The flipped classroom model has been an appealing approach to teaching, primarily in math and science classes. However, several research studies have proven that the flipped classroom method can be successfully implemented in online language classes. This article presents a research study that aims to analyze the impact of the flipped learning approach on Czech university students in English classes. The first part of the study is dedicated to the goals and methodology of the research. The second section discusses the partial outcomes of the research.

DEUTSCH IN DER WIRTSCHAFT (WIDAF®) – STANDARDIZOVANÁ ZKOUŠKA Z ODBORNÉHO JAZYKA SE ZAMĚŘENÍM NA HOSPODÁŘSKOU NĚMČINU NA EKONOMICKÉ FAKULTĚ TECHNICKÉ UNIVERZITY V LIBERCI (TUL)

The article presents various types of standardized examinations and provides more detailed information on the German in der Wirtschaft (WiDaF®) Business German examination. Based on the data obtained over a period of several years during which the WiDaF® examinations have been organized at TUL, the paper deals with the evaluation of the overall results of this examination as well as its individual parts. The data obtained are a valuable indicator of students’ knowledge as well as its deficiencies, and have been taken into account in updating the curricula.

DIGITAL CUSTOMER SERVICE TRENDS: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

Customer service is an essential part of many companies and their product and service portfolio. In the current times, customer service has shifted more towards its digital forms. In previous research four digital customer service trends have been identified: virtual assistants, customer service personalization, mobile technologies, and opinion mining. This article aims to compare these findings with reality by employing a focus group discussion with professionals and point out the opportunities and challenges that the companies implementing these trends are faced with. The results show that the findings correspond with academic literature.

MODIFICATION OF SYLLABI AT THE FACULTY OF ECONOMICS, TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF LIBEREC DURING ONLINE TEACHING CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC – QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY RESULTS

The article summarizes a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results of a questionnaire survey that took place at the Faculty of Economics, Technical University of Liberec in May 2021. The exceptional situation that occurred during the coronavirus pandemic forced all academic personnel to transfer their teaching to online platforms. Obviously, such a shift caused changes not only in the nature of teaching and syllabi but also in communication with students as well as the relations between students and academic workers. The main goal of this research was to find out how—or whether—the teachers modified their syllabi, or course plans, and adapted them to teaching in the online environment, and to what extent. The questionnaire further examined the teachers’ views on online teaching, its negative and positive aspects, and the tools that the academic workers have used most or least in online teaching. The research results primarily map the current situation at the Faculty of Economics and bring a reflection concerning other possibilities that online teaching offers and, of course, concerning also its pitfalls.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM REMOTE EDUCATION

This paper focuses on some aspects of remote education that can be implemented in face-to-face classes in order to improve and enhance the teaching/learning process. The authors present the results of the questionnaire survey conducted among the teachers of the Institute of Applied Language Studies of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen (hereinafter referred to as ‘UWB’) and also among the students of the Faculty of Economics at the same university in the spring term of 2021, evaluating two semesters of remote education. Having analyzed the results of the questionnaires, the authors of the paper aim to share their experience and introduce the best practice that the Business English (hereinafter referred to as ‘BE’) teachers at the UWB have decided to apply to their future BE courses.

PARTICIPACE STUDENTŮ NA TVORBĚ PODPŮRNÝCH VÝUKOVÝCH MATERIÁLŮ V PŘEDMĚTU NĚMČINA PRO BANKOVNICTVÍ

The students of bachelor’s degree programmes at the Faculty of Economics of the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills acquired in specialized subjects through additional specialized courses taught in German. The language courses in question aim to prepare students adequately for their professional career as well as to provide them with practical competences. This paper focuses on the students’ participation in creating the support materials in the German for Banking course. The graphics online tool called Canva was chosen to present the students’ projects. The individual students’ presentations were created in the form of interactive videos using EdPuzzle, another online tool. The popularity of online tools was also verified using a questionnaire.

NĚMECKÁ PŘÍJMENÍ V PŘÍHRANIČNÍ OBLASTI JIŽNÍCH ČECH A JEJICH SÉMANTICKO-MOTIVAČNÍ TYPY

This article analyses German surnames from the point of view of their motivation and classification into respective semantic-motivational types. The analysis is based on a corpus of data compiled at the beginning of the 21st century from the archive records containing surnames of inhabitants of the towns of Prachatice, Volary, Vimperk and Kašperské Hory. All of these towns are situated close to the German border and, until the mid-1940s, had predominantly been inhabited by German population. The final section of the article identifies the most frequent semantic-motivational types of German surnames currently used by Czechs in the area explored. The article also explains the etymology and motivation of these surnames in relation to the history of the region and to ethnic groups inhabiting the area since the Middle Ages.