Daniela Šálková

Convergence of artificial intelligence with bionanotechnology shifts the “green” microbial synthesis of nanoparticles from an empirical approach to rational, data-driven design, enhancing reproducibility and technological maturity of the processes. The aim of this work was to summarize current knowledge and outline the role of AI, machine learning, and deep learning methods in multifactorial optimization of biosynthesis conditions, prediction of nanoparticle properties prior to their production, guided self-assembly and engineering of producer strains, as well as in ensuring the safety of nanomaterials in line with the Safe-by-Design concept. Methods. Publications from 2020–2025 in PubMed, ACM, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Scilit databases were analyzed, applying double screening and thematic synthesis. It was established that the use of AI significantly reduces the number of experiments, enables coordinated control of process parameters, ensures transfer of synthesis conditions between laboratory and pilot-scale setups, and allows ex-ante prediction of nanoparticle stability, bioactivity, and antimicrobial action. In particular, for La-doped ZnO nanoparticles, model accuracy reached R² ≈ 0.96. A promising direction is programmed self-assembly of nanoscale structures, algorithmic selection of surface functionalization, and control of the protein “corona,” which determines biocompatibility and immune response. Another important result is the unification of toxicological data and improvement of regulatory compliance of products owing to explainable AI methods and integration with real-time process analytical control, as well as process design with quality built in from the outset. Thus, the convergence of artificial intelligence and “green” microbial synthesis establishes a platform for precision engineering of biogenic nanomaterials with predictable properties, where strategic success depends on high-quality data, algorithm transparency, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

In contemporary tourism, digital communication and online reservation platforms play an essential role in shaping tourists’ accommodation preferences and influencing decision-making processes. The study examines the determinants of accommodation choice on digital platforms, comparing leisure and business travelers and analyzing differences across age groups in the Czech Republic. Research Question (RQ): How do price, cleanliness, and trust in external reviews shape accommodation choice on digital platforms, and how do these effects differ across age groups and between leisure and business travelers in the Czech Republic? It highlights price, cleanliness, and dependence on third-party reviews as the main drivers of decision-making. Based on a nationally representative online sample (n = 2000; mean age = 49.7), the study used Pearson's χ² tests, Mann–Whitney U, ANOVA, and Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA at α = 0.05 to evaluate associations between sociodemographic characteristics, booking behavior, and the importance placed on selection criteria. The findings reveal that price was the most significant determinant, with value for money highlighted by approximately half of respondents; cleanliness/hygiene is especially prominent for family travelers. Reviews on external platforms were more impactful than reviews on the provider's website. Younger travelers preferred advanced digital tools (e.g., mobile apps for check-in/check-out; online communication), while older travelers preferred conventional channels like phone or email; age effects are statistically significant (p < 0.001). Business travelers prioritized internet connectivity more than vacationers. Providers must improve visibility and reputation on external review sites, ensure transparency of hygiene practices, invest in mobile check-in and user-friendly apps, and adapt communication and UX to older users, while prioritizing connectivity and reliability for business segments. The manuscript adds country-specific evidence for Central Europe based on a large representative sample and incorporates trip purpose and age segmentation into the analysis of digital platform determinants in hospitality.

Global trade and globalisation have significantly affected the hotel services market, especially in the Czech and Slovak Republics. These changes affect supply and demand dynamics, leading to market homogenisation or differentiation based on cost-effectiveness and sustainability. This study examines the key factors influencing hotel prices and expenditure between 2007 and 2023, focusing on the role of energy costs and employee remuneration in shaping turnover. Using economic modelling and statistical analysis, the research identifies a strong relationship between these costs and hotel sales, with inflation negatively impacting demand. The study confirms that rising energy costs and wages contribute to fluctuations in accommodation prices, which affects the competitiveness of the tourism industry. Moreover, inflation exhibits a time lagged elastic effect, further complicating financial stability in the sector. The findings provide valuable insights for policy makers and industry stakeholders and highlight the need for strategic cost management and sustainable development to remain competitive in a globalised hospitality market.

Consumers express their ethics through their consumption decisions. The article examines the preferences of Czech respondents in the area of ethical consumption. The aim of the study is to find out the respondents' attitudes towards ethical shopping. We apply a series of ordinal regression analyses to analyse data from a survey (N=1670; aged 15-93 years, M ± SD: 35.51 ± 16.82; 62.00% women; 32.10% with higher education) conducted in 2021. In some cases, the survey results are compared with surveys on the same topic conducted in 2016 and 2018. The research found that customer interest in purchasing is growing, but this trend has not yet manifested itself in the volume of purchases. Beyond the reasons, the decision to buy, ignore ethical products or boycott unethical products is largely linked to the natural interest in and availability of information about "ethical shopping" in general and "ethical" products. The results suggest that personal responsibility is the most important reason for ethical shopping. Poor availability in the sales network, disinterest and higher prices were the most significant reasons for not buying "ethical" products. This research extends existing studies by examining the reasons for purchasing or ignoring so-called ethical products in relation to the intensity of their purchase. We believe that the results of the research can be used as baseline data to support targeted ethical purchasing, for example through education. Implications for Central European audience: To achieve long-term sustainability, current patterns of behaviour and consumption need to change at all levels. Environmental protection and sustainability are now increasingly implemented in most EU policies, programmes and regulations. In the case of Central European economies, the transition towards sustainable and environmentally neutral practices is still delayed. One of the key prerequisites for sustainable development and its further expansion is sustainable consumption at the level of

Article aims to provide an in-depth exploration of the key elements that contribute to shaping tourism demand, offering insights for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. Tourism is a dynamic and multifaceted industry sensitive on changes. Forecast of demand in this part of tertiary sector is a key element for future. Investigation was directed to the impact of selected macroeconomic variables as the nominal exchange rate, inflation ratio, GDP per capita and renumeration of employees on tourism demand represented by number of overnights in hotels and similar accommodation. We used squared model based on Gauss-Markov theorem and our analysis encompasses a dataset covering Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Austria, and Poland from 2000 to 2022. With the model we tried to evaluate the impact of inflation, renumeration of employees as well as nominal exchange rate on tourism in Czech Republic. Given the economic instability wage earnings and asset-based income are susceptible to fluctuations, consequently influencing individuals' purchasing power. The relationship between the exchange rate, inflation ratio, and tourism demand was recognized as significant whereby the statement took into the consideration share of wages and tourism industry on the GDP results.

Paper examines economic model known as upcycling, which seeks to minimize environmental damage by maximizing the reuse of resources. The use of raw materials, production and consumption that underpin the vertical economic system promoted by global trade has serious social and environmental consequences. The study highlights the opportunities and threats of global exchange in the context of supply chain transformation. Notwithstanding the considerable difficulties, the result suggests that global trade can contribute to the development of a circular economy by increasing productivity, reducing pollution, and encouraging more environmentally responsible production and consumption. The conclusions and suggestions relate to the findings from GRETL and how policy makers, firms and individuals could accelerate the uptake of recycling and reuse in global trade.

The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented shock to the world economy. Consumer purchase of a country’s brand and the products manufactured in their own country plays a vital role in that country’s GDP, and helps revive the country’s economy. This study focuses on understanding the factors that influence consumers’ buying behavior, and on modeling these factors to understand the causal relationship, using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The data analysis is based on the online survey carried out between 30 March 2020 and 18 April 2020. A total of 367 responses were collected during this period. The study’s findings indicate that there are changes in consumer buying behavior, and the factors that are decisive for purchasing decisions in times of social crisis are changing. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers’ lives and the changes in their behavior during and after the crisis. Consumers’ attitudes towards traditionalism and retail innovation are essential for the sustainable development of consumer behavior. Under the influence of change and shopping constraints, unplanned- and impulse-shopping behavior has changed into a deliberate search for more sustainable options, with women shopping for sustainable food more often than men. Women are more health-conscious, and consider sustainable food healthier than conventional food. On the retail side, trusted certification of origin supports the rate of sustainable-food purchases, and, from the viewpoint of innovation, the use of digital communication with consumers across different communication channels and platforms is essential.

Zero waste (ZW), the concept of reducing waste production, is now becoming a lifestyle trend. Social media is strengthening this by popularizing the movement and connecting related communities. ZW and food are closely related, since food waste is a significant sustainability issue; however, the exact relationship between ZW and food communication on social networks is not clear. This study analyzed user communication on the social networking site Twitter between July 2008 and April 2023 to determine how members communicated and shared topics related to ZW and food; an analysis of hashtag frequency was also conducted. During the study period, a total of 50,650 tweets with both #zerowaste and #food hashtags were recorded, written by 21,271 unique users from all over the world. Topic analysis identified the nine related topics: ZW lifestyle, leftover recipes, ZW events, food rescue, climate change, packaging, ZW stores, composting, and ZW restaurants; visual analysis indicated that these topics were closely connected, suggesting common membership of these communities. Overall, our results provide insight into the ZW and food communities on Twitter, which may be useful for marketers, influencers, and government agencies to create targeted content and facilitate wider adoption of a ZW lifestyle.

The need to ensure sustainable consumption is one of society's main challenges. The latest research agrees that current levels must change to achieve long-term sustainability. A prerequisite for sustainable development is sustainable consumption. Communication's role in promoting the purchase of environmentally friendly products is an important field of research in this area. The article aims to identify attitudes towards the ethical aspects of purchasing and their differences among Generation X, Y and Z representatives and use these findings in marketing communication. This information can aid in increasing consumers' awareness about ethical shopping principles. Different approaches were determined through research by the Department of Business and Finance at CZU Prague from 2014-2021, focusing on sustainable shopping and applying ethical principles when purchasing. The research comprises a quantitative questionnaire survey (n = 996) and a statistical data evaluation. It was found that the direct purchase of ethical products was most often carried out by Generation Z and the least by Generation X. When considering ethical values in a purchase decision-making process, Generation X prioritizes the desire to help, whereas Generation Y and Z prioritize the sense of personal responsibility. The Covid 19 pandemic had no major effect on the Generation's approaches.

The article focuses on the evaluation of the sustainability of the public debt of the Czech Republic based on its development since 1995 and a comparison with other countries of the Visegrad Group, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Using a forecast based on an econometric model in the Gretl software, the development of the public debt until 2024 is outlined. The rate of growth of the Czech public debt has been growing for a long time, but there is still a relatively large reserve for the convergence criteria of the European Union. However, if the development of the share of public debt in the gross domestic product were to increase in the long term, it would indicate that the Czech Republic lives in higher standards than the economy allows. At the same time, the structure of the Czech public debt can be considered satisfactory, as the majority of the debt is made up of domestic residents.