Perspectives on Business and Economics, Volume 34 (2016): Post-Communist Reform in the Czech Republic : Progress and Problems

</p>A nation's infrastructure plays a vital role in both social and economic development as seen by the correlation between high competitiveness rankings and strong infrastructure. This article explores the reality of the current plans to improve transport infrastructure in the Czech Republic with the ultimate goal of achieving competitiveness with Western Europe.</p>

</p>Over the past 15 years, the ratio of foreign direct investment (FDI) per capita to GDP in the Czech Republic has stood at 4.41 percent. This article forecasts FDI to remain high in the Czech Republic for years to come due to the country's strength in transportation infrastructure, its low personal income tax rate, and its least demanding conditions for investment incentives compared to those in the other Visegrad Four countries. </p>

</p>Since the Czech Republic's transition from communism, the area of Czech public procurement has been vulnerable to corruption. Several organizations are fighting to reduce corruption in Czech public procurement, but there are still numerous ways they can improve the success of their fight. </p>

</p>Following the collapse of the communist government, the Czech Republic was burdened with substantial levels of air pollution that it continues to struggle with today. This article analyzes the ways in which the communist regime contributed to air pollution and the current barriers to improving air quality. It also examines the effectiveness of current environmental policies and the difficulties of balancing environmental, economic, and social priorities. </p>

</p>This article discusses barriers to growth in the Czech auto industry from the perspectives of the Czech Republic as an export-oriented economy. Attention is directed to the organization of the auto industry, the effects of foreign direct investment, spillovers between foreign-owned and domestic firms, and the unequal distribution of research and development.</p>

</p>This article explores the current situation of women in the Czech Republic by examining the historical background, women's educational choices, and discrimination against women in the workforce. It also suggests possible ways in which government policies could create a more equal society. </p>

</p>While the rapid privatization of the Czech media after the Velvet Revolution was key to the industry's immediate commercial success, proper efforts to democratize the market are necessary to achieve its long-term sustainability. Given these market factors, this article offers proposals for the Czech Republic to best facilitate the transition to the digital era of media. </p>

</p>The city of Brno, Czech Republic, has a strong industrial history. In recent years, however, it has made strides to develop a strong startup ecosystem. Through the lenses of talent availability, business-friendliness, and availability of funding, this article assesses the viability of Brno's startup ecosystem and what steps remain to improve the strength of the startup ecosystem. </p>

</p>This article argues that the Czech Republic should expand wind power to meet the ever-growing European Union renewable energy requirements and to achieve the Czech Republic's State Energy Policy objectives. The country could save about $23 billion in initial investment costs by expanding only wind power instead of its current plan of using diversified renewable energy sources. </p>

</p>Despite their legendary reputation, Czech beers make only a small appearance in global export markets. By means of a comparison to the internationally successful Belgian brewing industry, this article examines the reasons for this phenomenon and offers recommendations for Czech brewers to increase their export sales. </p>

\u0026lt;p\u0026gt;Once referred to by the World Health Organization as "a health system in transition," the healthcare system in the Czech Republic is characterized by extensive health resource utilization, with little impact on overall health outcomes. This article examines the long-term financial stability of the system as well as the potential efficacy of placing increased emphasis on preventative care and healthy living. \u0026lt;/p\u0026gt;