ZLV Online

Abstract

Research, development and innovation are generally formulated as priority attributes of economic growth, competitiveness and, therefore, improvement of living standards and social conditions all over the world. According to the Czech Statistical Office, the main source of funding for research, development and innovation in the Czech Republic are domestic and foreign enterprises. The emergence and history of forestry research in the Czech Republic has a remarkable and deep tradition, enhanced by the longevity of natural and production processes in forestry, not least because of the accentuated social importance of forest and forestry functions. The paper focuses on the research and development activities of selected forestry companies in the Czech Republic. The analysis included the state enterprise Lesy České republiky (Forests of the Czech Republic, s.e.), enterprises in the position of so-called contractual partners (in the outsourcing business model) and companies carrying out management activities in municipal forests. The basic methodological approach was the analysis of publicly available information on research and development reported by the enterprises concerned as so-called non-financial information in their annual reports for the years 2014–2020, on the basis of Act No. 563/1991 Coll., on accounting.