Xuejun Wang, Koshi Maeda and Xuefeng Mao
This paper aims to determine whether domestic cotton support permitted by the current or potential World Trade Organization (WTO) rules would be sufficient to compensate the cost…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine whether domestic cotton support permitted by the current or potential World Trade Organization (WTO) rules would be sufficient to compensate the cost to China's cotton farmers if the sliding scale duty (SSD) on cotton imports is removed.
Design/methodology/approach
The simulation was conducted using a static spatial equilibrium model (SEM) of the world cotton market. First, a base model was specified to provide a good representation of the world cotton market's conditions. Second, simulations were conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing the SSD and subsidizing cotton producers pursuant to the current or potential WTO rules on domestic cotton support.
Findings
The results of the simulations suggest that China's cotton farmers are bound to incur losses. In either case, cotton subsidies permitted by the current or potential WTO rules are not sufficient to compensate for the cost to China's cotton producers if the SSD is eliminated.
Research limitations/implications
It should be pointed out that these findings could suffer from a bias, primarily because the authors assumed that the WTO's blue box subsidies have no incentives for farmers to produce, and no substitution between cotton and alternative products. Thus, additional work is needed to reflect a more realistic situation in future studies.
Originality/value
The simulation estimation contributes to a better understanding of the issue of whether China should replace the current SSD with cotton subsidies to protect cotton producers.
Details
Keywords
The main purpose of the present work is to study the effect of tool pin profiles on mechanical properties of welded plates made with two different aluminium alloy plates.
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of the present work is to study the effect of tool pin profiles on mechanical properties of welded plates made with two different aluminium alloy plates.
Design/methodology/approach
The welded plates were fabricated with the three different kinds of pin profiled tools such as taper cylindrical, taper threaded cylindrical and stepped cylindrical pin profiles. Tensile properties of welded plates were evaluated using tensile testing machine at room temperature. Microstructures studies were carried out using scanning electron microscope.
Findings
Tensile properties were improved with the use of taper threaded cylindrical pin tool in friction stir welding process when compared with taper cylindrical and stepped cylindrical pin tools. This is due to refinement of grains and mixing of plasticized material occurred with generation of sufficient heat with the taper threaded pin tool. Through these studies, it was confirmed that friction stir welding can be used to weld Al6061 and Al2014 aluminium alloy plates.
Research limitations/implications
In the present study, the friction stir welding is performed with constant process parameters such as tool rotational speed of 900 rpm, transverse speed of 24 mm/min and tilt angle of 1°.
Practical implications
Aluminium alloys are widely using in automotive and aerospace industries due to holding a high strength to weight property. These aluminium alloy blanks can be developed with friction stir welding method with better properties.
Originality/value
Very limited work had been carried out on friction stir welding of aluminium alloys of Al 6061 and Al2014 with different tool pin profiles. Furthermore, this work analyzed with tensile properties of welded plates correlated with weld zone microstructures.
Details
Keywords
Sumran Ali, Jawaria Ashraf, Muhammad Ghufran, Peng Xiaobao and Liu Zhiying
This study has aimed to analyse the role of innovation-sharing collaboration in the large-scale manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccination across the globe and its impact on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study has aimed to analyse the role of innovation-sharing collaboration in the large-scale manufacturing of Covid-19 vaccination across the globe and its impact on the mortality rate of the countries where the pharmaceutical manufacturers received such innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have relied upon the difference-in-difference (DID) approach by utilizing the data available on public platforms such as World Health Organization (WHO) databank, organization for economic co-operation and development (OECD) data bank, istat, Indian bureau of statistics and European centre for disease prevention and control (ecdc) from 2020 to 2021 to establish the empirical inference of the analysis.
Findings
This study’s results present that after the invention and commercialization of the vaccine, the Covid-19 impact was still intact and people were dying continuously. However, it was impossible to fulfil the demand of the 7 billion population in a short time. In the light of these facts, the WHO encouraged sharing vaccine innovation with other countries to enhance production capacity. The authors found that after vaccine innovation sharing, Covid-19’s devastation slowed: the fatality rate was marginally reduced, and economic conditions started their recovery journey.
Originality/value
This study’s findings present that the Covid-19 vaccine played a pivotal role in tackling the Covid-19’s devastating impact on the entire world. It emphasizes the role of innovation-sharing collaborations in curtailing hazardous consequences, including the mortality rate during a crisis, and such collaborations’ impact on the countries where institutions involved in them reside.