Revisiting globalization challenges and opportunities in the development of cooperatives

Cooperatives have gained prominent attention in recent years as strategic elements to achieve sustainable economic development and greater social cohesion in the context of neoliberal globalization. This article explores, theoretically, the current challenges and opportunities for cooperatives to develop successfully in the globalizing economy. To this end, we provide an analytical, critical review of the key bibliography concerning some fundamental aspects that shape the relationship between economic globalization and cooperatives, an issue that has been generally neglected by previous literature. Three key fields are addressed: 1) the viability of cooperatives, based on their strengths and possible weaknesses, under current globalization; 2) the role of these organizations in promoting the local development and stability of local communities; and 3) the tensions and potentialities that internationalization entails for cooperatives. Based on the analytical review and the organization of the literature, we propose an agenda for further research. This includes some hypotheses and strategies for testing them that would be essential to assess the role of cooperatives in economic globalization, and sheds light on key areas for future research that could provide a better understanding of the complexity surrounding the relationship between globalization and cooperatives

Characterization of calcium carbonate filled natural rubber - low density polyethylene blends prepared with a titanate coupling agent

The aim of this study was to develop reactive blends from natural rubber (NR) and low density polyethylene (LDPE) with acceptable physico-mechanical properties. NR and LDPE blends at different blend ratios were produced in a Brabender Plasticorder by melt mixing at a temperature of 150 oC, and rotor speed of 60 rpm. 20 parts per hundred parts of polymer (pphp) calcium carbonate was added as an inorganic filler. Physico-mechanical and chemical properties of the blends and composites were determined according to international standards. Thermal properties were determined using a differential scanning calorimeter. Morphology and structural characteristics were examined by a scanning electron microscope and fourier transform infrared analyzer, respectively. 50/50 NR/LDPE blends were prepared using three vulcanizing systems: sulphur, peroxide and mixture of sulphur and peroxide. NR/LDPE blend prepared with the mixed vulcanizing system showed the highest physicomechanical, chemical, and ageing properties with a fine morphology. A series of simple blends was formulated by varying the LDPE loading from 10 to 90 pphp at 20 pphp intervals. The tensile strength, tear strength, and hardness increased with the increase of LDPE loading, while elongation at break decreased. The continuous phase of blends changed from NR to LDPE above 30 pphp LDPE loading. The optimum tensile and ageing properties were obtained for the composite prepared with 20 pphp calcium carbonate with or without titanate coupling agent (titanate CA) at 30 pphp LDPE loading. Further, 70/30 NR/LDPE composite prepared with 0.7 pphp titanate CA presented the highest physicomechanical, chemical and ageing properties. Furthermore, the performance of the 70/30 NR/LDPE blends produced with 0.3 pphp peroxide was greater than that of the composites prepared without the peroxide and with a high amount of peroxide. Nevertheless, tensile properties, stress and strain of the 70/30 NR/LDPE composite improved with partial replacement of LDPE with recycled LDPE (rLDPE). The composite with 20 pphp rLDPE indicated the best improvement in all physico-mechanical properties

Systematic approach to integrated mine bench optimization in soil and rock of Sri Lankan open pit mines - a case study

Instabilities and failures in rock slopes occur due to numerous factors such as unfavorable slope geometries, geological discontinuities, weak or weathered materials in the slopes, existing weather conditions and environmentally induced external factors such as heavy precipitation, seismic activities and groundwater. Bench optimization is carried out to maintain bench height and dip of the slope within an allowable factor of safety, thus avoiding rock slope failures and instabilities. Therefore, optimum determination of these geometrical features has become a most significant part of soil and rock slope stability analysis in Open Pit Mining where multiple benches of excavation are maintained. Field work related to this research study primarily comprised of observation of structural geological features (dip and strike) and other measurements and observations ( joint spacing, separation, condition of joint) required for analysis work, including Slope Mass Rating analysis, at the selected site of Halbarawa, Sri Lanka. Furthermore, soil and rock samples were collected from the selected site to perform laboratory tests. Proctor compaction test and direct shear test were carried out for selected samples to evaluate the overburden slope stability. Simultaneously, stability of soil and highly weathered rock slope was analyzed by SLOPE W software. In order to analyze rock slopes, initially possible rock failure modes were identified using Georient software. If it indicated some tendency to fail, a detailed analysis of wedge failure was carried out using GEO5 software. Further, Toppling and Planer modes of failure were analyzed via SMR analysis. The study focused on optimizing the bench geometry of mine slopes necessarily consisting soil, highly weathered rock and fractured rock in order to explore ways for safe and economical bench designing. This was achieved by integrating kinematic, empirical and limit equilibrium approaches for slope stability investigation and guidelines were finally developed so that the same methodology can be universally applied for assessing the soil and rock slope stability in similar situations. This procedure was developed through the case study of Halbarawa Mine. Results indicated that the stability is more sensitive to variation in cohesion than variation in friction angle of overburden profile. As far as the bench geometry is considered, multiple benches are seen as the most reliable mining methods for steeply dipping benches. According to RQD of each location, the rocks in the particular area varied from moderately hard rocks to hard rock. The Kinematic analysis disclosed that most of joint planes intersect with each other and produce various potential failure mechanisms. The dip and the dip direction of the slope faces determine the possibility of failure and the mode of failure with respect to the discontinuity plane. For the Halbarawa site, as per the SMR analysis, face 1, 2 and 3 can be categorized into completely unstable (V), partially stable (III) and unstable (IV) rock stability classes respectively. It was also understood that surcharge load is a more critical factor than the static water pressure when a wedge failure is considered. The most successful, economical and rapid remedial measures to enhance the stability of rock slope are reduction of bench height and reduction of bench angle