Abstract
This paper is part of a continuing effort to investigate constraining and enabling effects of institutional logics on entrepreneurship in the European space sector. The goal is mapping rules, regulations, ideas and cultural standards hindering or stimulating entrepreneurship in ESA Member States in general, and in particular on the subject of this paper, the Czech Republic. Interviews with various Czech space actors were conducted, analyzed and related to archival data on the Czech space sector. On an agency level, two logics are identified, perceived as being either supporting or constraining by entrepreneurs and small companies: the country cooperation logic and the European institution logic. On a national level, the new sector logic, the prime contractor and a product logic are identified as driving and constraining forces for Czech entrepreneurs. The new sector logic entails challenges of entrepreneurs and SMEs arising from new or inadequate regulation, conservative government funding decisions and a misalignment of national priorities for space activities with the expectations of Czech space actors. The prime contractor logic encompasses entrepreneurial activities concerning building, growing and changing relations to traditional, large ESA contractors that govern entrepreneurial decisions on a national level. The product logic describes the constraints and drivers imposed on entrepreneurs by the quality requirements of space products, as well as the competition of new products with ESA quality standards.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 21 Oct 2019 |
| Event | 70th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2019 - Washington, United States Duration: 21 Oct 2019 → 25 Oct 2019 |
Conference
| Conference | 70th International Astronautical Congress, IAC 2019 |
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| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Washington |
| Period | 21/10/19 → 25/10/19 |
Funding
as the COMPrehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty [43], the Missile Technology Control Regime [44], the Wassenaar Arrangement [45], and the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation [46]. The Czech Republic is a Member State of the EU (2004), EUMETSAT (2010) and NATO (1999). Since 2010, the city of Prague has been hosting the Administration Headquarters of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (GSA) [47]. The Czech Parliament is also a member of the European Interparliamentary Space Conference (EISC) [48]. The responsibility for coordinating the national space policy lies with the Ministry of Transport [49] and its Intelligent Transport Systems, Space Activities and Research, Development and Innovation Department. Space activities are coordinated with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (ESA mandatory contribution activities) and a number of other ministries and state organizations. The Co-ordination Council of the Minister of Transport for the Space Activities was established. The Council consists of high level representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. The Coordination Council has also established cross-sectional expert working groups as an interface with industry and academia, in particular “Industry and Applications” and “Scientific Activities”. Additionally the “Security and International Relations” Working Group deals with security and international aspects of space activities. The Ministry of Transport has been responsible for elaborating and delivering the National Space Plan to the Government of the Czech Republic, and it is also responsible for all space issues in the EU, as the European Space Policy and the administration related to Galileo and EGNOS programmes. For the Copernicus Programme, it shares its responsibility with the Ministry of Environment. For disarmament and TCBMs issues, it shares the responsibility with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The negotiations for the successful settling of the European GNSS Agency (GSA) seat in Prague have been coordinated by the Ministry of Transport team [50]. The Ministry elaborated the National Space Plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Government Commissioner for GSA, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) plays a key role in the international relations and Security and Defence Policy. The Ministry structure contains six main sections, each led by a deputy minister. The Security and Multilateral Affairs section is composed of the Security Policy Department, the EU CFSP Department, the UN Department, the Human Rights and Transition Department, the Special Envoys Office and the Cyber Security Department [51]. The MFA, in coordination with the Ministry of Transport, oversees the foreign policy aspects of outer space issues and outer space activities of the Czech Republic. It is represented in the Coordination Council of the Minister of Transport for Space Activities by the Deputy Minister for European Issues who is charged with the coordination of the space policy. The European Section is directly responsible for the EU and the ESA space policy. International legal issues, including space treaties, are under the responsibility of the Legal and Consular Section. The Deputy Minister for European Issues presides over the working group on security and international relations, composed of representatives of relevant ministries. . The working group is also involved in the formulation and implementation of the foreign policy of the Czech Republic in the field of multilateral relations and cooperation with international organizations concerning the outer space issues. They also monitor the cosmic dimension of the European Union policies [52]. In addition to the links established between the Ministries and Implementing Entities on the one hand and international/supranational bodies on the other hand (2018 Space and Security Governance Overview), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is directly involved in the representation of the Czech Republic in international/supranational bodies, complementing representation of specific Ministry stakeholders, for instance through the Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels [53]. The MFA and the Ministry of Transport share the responsibility to represent the country in UNCOPUOS. The Ministry represents the country at ESA IRC and in the EU Council working group CONOP/CODUN – Space. The Ministry of Industry and Trade oversees the National Industry Policy, the Energy Policy, and Trade Policy in the context of the European Common Market, the Export Promotion Policy, the Integrated Raw Materials Policy and the Use of Mineral Resources. The Ministry is also charged with a range of other competence including Industrial research, engineering and technology development; Electronic communication and postal services. The Ministry oversees a wide variety of governmental entities and state-owned enterprises and public research organisations [54]. The Ministry is responsible for representation of the Czech Republic in IMSO, Intersputnik, ITSO and EUTELSAT. The Ministry represents the Czech Republic at ESA IPC. The Ministry of Environment is charged with natural water accumulation, water resources protection, ground and surface water quality protection, air protection, nature and landscape protection, farmland protection, activities of the state geological service, mineral resources and ground water protection, geological activities and environmental supervision over mining, waste management, assessment of activities and their impact on environment including cross-border activities, hunting, fishing and forest management in national parks, and the state environmental policy [55]. The Ministry is charged with the administration of activities in Copernicus, GEOSS and EUMETSAT. Within the Ministry, the Department of International Organisations and International Treaties (OMOMS), Unit of International Organisations (OMO), is responsible for the Ministry’s involvement in Coordination Board of Ministry of Transport for coordination of cosmic activities. The Department of informatics and maintenance (OIP), Unit of information strategy (OIS), assures implementation of horizontal EU´s activities of standardization and harmonization of data and information systems (SEIS, GEOSS, Copernicus, INSPIRE). The Unit is National Secretariat of GEOSS/GMES [56–58]. The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (CHMI) is a state-funded institution of the Ministry of the Environment charged with air quality, hydrology, water quality, climatology and meteorology. In the field of using of the space technologies and specialised support of the Ministry, CHMI represents the Czech Republic in EUMETSAT and GEO [57].
| Funders | Funder number |
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| European Space Agency | |
| Grantová Agentura České Republiky |
