Exploring time-varying impact of world pandemic uncertainty on China's commodity prices using TVP-SVAR-SV model.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a growing body of literature has focused on the impact of the uncertainty of the world pandemic (WPU) on commodity prices. Using the quarterly data from the first quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2020, we run the TVP-SVAR-SV model to study the time-varying impact of WPU on China's commodity prices. Specifically, we select minerals, non-ferrous metals, energy and steel commodities for a categorical comparison and measure the impact of WPU accordingly. The findings are as follows. First, WPU has a significant time-varying impact on China's commodity prices, and the short-term effect is greater than the long-term effect. Second, compared with the global financial crisis in the fourth quarter of 2008 and China's stock market crash in the second quarter of 2015, WPU had a greatest impact on Chinese commodity prices during the COVID-19 pandemic event in the fourth quarter of 2019. Third, significant differences exist in the impact of WPU on the four major commodity prices. Among them, WPU has the largest time-varying impact on the price of minerals but the smallest time-varying impact on that of steel.

Evolutionary Analysis of Supply Chain Integration Strategy on Chinese Steel-Producing Firms considering Policy Risk Cost Factor.

Despite a number of adverse factors, China's steel industry has maintained a rapid growth trend. China continues to consume two-thirds of the world's iron ore, the majority of which is imported. In this context, Chinese steel companies have begun to consider integrating their supply chains to increase efficiency and lower costs. However, the increasingly volatile international environment makes this an extremely risky proposition. As a result, the issue of how Chinese steel producers should participate in global supply chain integration has emerged as a critical research question that requires investigation. In this paper, we examine the supply chain integration problem using a typical China-Australia steel trade as an example. Specifically, we discuss in detail whether relevant firms should continue to promote supply chain integration in the Chinese-Australian steel industry, as well as the decision boundary of influence, using evolutionary game theory and policy risk cost factors. The empirical analysis demonstrates that policy risk has a range of effects on different types of steel firms. Even when international tensions are considered, smaller steel companies may retain a greater willingness to integrate their supply chains. Overall, the above findings can provide necessary decision support for enterprises to formulate supply chain management strategies.

Can hypochlorous acid be a powerful sanitizer to replace alcohol for disinfection ? -Its bactericidal, degradation of the solutions under various storage condition, and steel rust effects.

Coronavirus disease pandemic has led to a shortage of disinfectant alcohol (DA; 76.9-81.4% ethanol solution) in Japan. This study investigated the availability of hypochlorous acid (HA) as an alternative disinfectant to DA in clinical environment. HA is a safe and economical disinfectant with a broad antibacterial spectrum and low risk of hand irritation, which is used worldwide. In this study, HA and sodium hypochlorite solution (SH) were degraded over time and the degradation was accelerated by temperature and lighting. Results of bactericidal effects of HA revealed that the realistic effective concentration should be 200 ppm. Compared with DA, the dental carbon steel burs were more severely rusted by SH and HA. These results indicated that high concentration of HA generated on-site could be an effective and safe disinfectant for use immediately after generation with consideration of object materials in clinical environment, as an alternative to DA.

Assessment of COVID-19 control strategies in a steel industry using a SWOT matrix.

According to the health regulations, industrial environments due to the gathering of people are considered as one of the highest-risk places during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, planning with regard to health concerns can decisively help in infection control and continuity of businesses during the pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the COVID-19 control management measures in the Sepid-farab Kavir Steel Complex (SKS complex) located in Isfahan province (Iran) using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) matrix. After a literature review and field surveys, all weak, strong, threatening, and opportunity points were collected and were listed using the internal factor evaluation (IFE) and external factor evaluation (EFE) matrices and then were prioritized and weighted. Next, given the sum of scores of IFE and EFE, the SWOT matrix was constructed, the disease prevention and control strategies in the complex was determined, and finally, experts proposed corrective measures to improve the current situation. The results of the IFE matrix (IFE) analysis showed that in terms of corona control, there are more weaknesses than strengths within the company (the score of this matrix was 201.12). Also the score of 165 on the EFE matrix indicated that external threats were predominant, compared to external opportunities of company. SWOT analysis showed that despite some external problems and challenges, the existence of a favorable internal decision-making system had an important role in developing appropriate health strategies and implementing effective prevention measures in SKS complex against the COVID-19.