Research background: Small and medium-sized businesses are significant economic power and employer in the European Union. The modern globalized world, new technologies, and advanced connectivity bring SMEs a wide range of opportunities, but also threats. Increasing the stability and competitiveness of SMEs is one of the main goals of national governments and the EU. The research is based on personal research in SMEs, its experiences and backward testing of reached results. Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to analyze the possibilities the potential of using controlling as a managing tool of SMEs for increased competitiveness in the context of Industry 4.0  with an emphasis on innovations. Methods: The study is based on a detailed analysis of 341 SMEs from the Czech Republic obtained in the years 2017–2019. The data were analyzed using statistical methods such Pearson correlation, stepwise regression for the purpose of determining the relationship between the controlling management system of a company, its innovation potential, level of process maturity, number of employees, internal audit, financial stability and strategic plan. Statistical analysis confirmed the close relationship of the analyzed variables and backwards experimental testing of the statistical analysis conclusions defined critical factors in the area of people in an organization, usage of advanced information systems and Industry 4.0 technologies implementation. Findings & Value added: Those important areas were determined as essential for the successful development of SMEs, as well as the most significant threats in the Industry 4.0 environment. The information obtained is useful in practice and can be applied to a more in-depth analysis of the issues.  The research findings are showing possible opportunities and treads for SMEs long term stability and development as well as ways to increase enterprise performance based on controlling management system.

Aim: To identify the total content of trans fatty acid (TFA) isomers and C18:1 trans isomers in subcutaneous fat samples from persons with atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries, as an indicator of dietary exposure. Methods: Using capillary gas chromatography, the authors determined total content of TFA isomers and C18:1 trans isomers in the subcutaneous fat of 34 patients with ischemic heart disease who had undergone aortocoronary bypass surgery and in 46 patients with no sign of coronary disease. Results: On average, the total TFAs in cardiac patients were 2.88 ± 1.19% of all fatty acids, in noncardiac patients 2.56 ± 0.89%. However, the difference is not statistically significant. The average concentration of C18:1 trans in cardiac patients (2.31 ± 1.09%) was statistically significantly higher (p = 0.05) than in the noncardiac group (1.95 ± 0.77%). Conclusions: The results obtained indicate a lower TFA load in comparison with previous studies in other countries. A higher concentration of 18:1 TFAs in the subcutaneous fat of patients with coronary disease might be an impulse to correct the dietary habits of this very high-risk population.

Abstract:The paper presents the development of monthly gross wages and wage distributions both by gender groups and for the total sample in the Czech Republic over the years [2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008][2009]. The fi rst part deals with the development of sample characteristics of the level, differentiation and shape of the wage distribution in the research period, including characteristics of wage level forecasts for 2010 and 2011. Special attention is paid to the different behaviour of the wage distribution between men and women in the Czech Republic and the gender dependence of gross monthly wages. A comparison of the income level development in the Czech Republic with that of the other European Union countries in 2005-2009 is made in the fi nal part of the paper. The comparison is drawn in relation to the income level development both in the original fi fteen EU countries and the twelve newly-accepted EU member states.

Using capillary gas chromatography, we determined total content of trans fatty acids (TFA) and C18:1 trans fatty acids in human milk and subcutaneous fat in 35 healthy Prague women. The average content of TFA in human milk fat was 4.22% (SD = 1.87%) of all fatty acids, and the value of trans C18:1 isomers was 3.63% (SD = 1.81%). The average concentration of total trans fatty acids in subcutaneous fat was 4.41% (SD = 0.79%) and the average content of C18:1 trans isomers was 2.81% (SD = 0.61%).

This paper deals with modelling income distributions in the Czech Republic in 1992-2007. The net annual income per capita for Czech households is evaluated from data based on the microcensus and the EU-SILC 2005-2008. For all analysed years the distribution of incomes was estimated in the whole sample as well as in the subgroup of households, whose heads are physicists (or experts in related sciences), architects and engineers. In the paper the three-parametric lognormal distribution is used as a model. Unknown parameters are estimated with the use of four methods -those of maximum likelihood, quantiles, moments and L-moments.