This year for Black History Month, we celebrate the theme African American in the Arts so we want to spotlight the Gee’s Bend quilts. In the tapestry of American history, Gee's Bend quilts stand as a beacon of innovation in diversity, weaving together threads of creativity and African American heritage. Discover how these quilts from the town Boykin (also known as Gee’s Bend) in Alabama transcend mere craft, embodying a spirit of innovation that resonates across generations.

A Brief History of Gee’s Bend Quilts

Gee's Bend quilts have a storied history that dates back generations, from the early 20th century to the present. Originally crafted out of necessity, these quilts served as practical coverings to keep families warm during the harsh winters of rural Alabama. Pieced together from worn-out clothing, scraps of fabric, and other remnants, they were born from a tradition of resourcefulness and resilience.

But it was in the act of quilting itself that the women of Gee's Bend found a canvas for their creativity. With each stitch, they transformed simple materials into works of art, infusing their quilts with vibrant colors, bold patterns, and intricate designs. Drawing inspiration from their surroundings—the winding rivers, sprawling fields, and lush forests of Gee's Bend—they imbued their quilts with a sense of place and community.

Around the 1960s, several women from Gee's Bend crafted quilts for the Freedom Quilting Bee, initiated in 1966 by civil rights advocate Francis X. Walter with the goal of generating income for the local community. Operating for approximately three decades, the bee successfully marketed quilts to renowned stores including Bloomingdale's, Sears, Saks, and Bonwit Teller.

As the tradition of quilting was passed down through generations, it became a cornerstone of Gee's Bend culture. Quilting bees brought women together, fostering bonds of friendship and solidarity as they shared stories, exchanged techniques, and collaborated on new designs. 

Over time, Gee's Bend quilts gained recognition beyond the confines of their rural community. Exhibited in museums and galleries across the country, they captivated audiences with their beauty, ingenuity, and artistry. Scholars and historians marveled at their improvisational techniques, geometric compositions, and bold use of color, recognizing them as masterpieces of American folk art. In 2003, the Gee’s Bend Collective was founded and is owned and operated by the women of Gee's Bend. They persist as a significant historical fixture in the United States, leaving an enduring impact on our community even today.

Lasting Impacts and Innovation in Diversity

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of Gee's Bend quilts is their ability to transcend boundaries—of culture, of time, and of technology. In an increasingly interconnected world, they serve as a reminder of the power of diversity in innovation, inspiring creativity, inclusivity, and collaboration across all endeavors.

In the realm of technological innovation, we at Exela find profound inspiration in the remarkable legacy of Gee's Bend quilts. We admire the creativity, resourcefulness, and ingenuity displayed by the women of Gee's Bend, whose quilts transcend mere fabric to become powerful expressions of artistry and cultural heritage. Drawing from this admiration, we infuse our products and services with a similar sense of creativity and innovation, striving to empower businesses to achieve new heights of success while honoring the rich heritage of artistic expression that continues to inspire us. Learn more about our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. 

As we honor Gee's Bend quilts during Black History Month, let's celebrate not just their beauty, but also their rich history and enduring legacy. Let's recognize them as symbols of innovation in diversity, weaving together the threads of creativity, African American heritage, and technology to create timeless art with a lasting impact.

Research published by MIT Sloan Management Review suggests that investors see a strong link between corporate sustainability performance and financial performance. A growing number of investors are paying attention to environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

Seeing sustainability-related data as a rationale for investment decisions which makes it crucial for companies to really consider a sustainability-focused strategy.

Similarly, consumers have also become more conscious of their lifestyles and purchases. Making environmentally smart decisions, they are more attentive to where their money is going and in understanding brand values.

Focusing on sustainability is now more critical than ever. Brands need to establish business strategies while adding sustainability to their core values and clearly communicating the same.

The full issue of PluggedIN is available for download now at:

https://www.exelatech.com/pluggedin

Download PluggedIn and understand in depth what is corporate sustainability. It will help you create a sustainability-focused business strategy for 2023.

Cybercrime is on the rise, and it’s becoming an ever-costlier problem. To give you a sense of just how serious an issue security is in the age of digital transformation, take a look at these up-to-the-minute security statistics...but be sure you’re sitting down because, they’re staggering.1

Later this week, we’ll be diving in to discover how the “bad guys” get in, and in the coming weeks, we’ll be addressing how keeping them out isn’t just doable but the essence of what we do every day at Exela, as well as all the security matters you’ll want to consider when choosing your digital transformation partner.

Gotta read it all now? You can download the entire series as a flipping-book here:

A Leap Into The Breach: Leveraging

Cybersecurity to Master Your Domain

In the future, be sure to subscribe to Exela’s quarterly thought leadership publication, PluggedIN for up-to-the-minute news and views on topics that matter to you.

1. Stat sources:cyberdefensemagazine.com enterprise.verizon.com forbes.com IBM.compwc.com varonis.com

The possible exit of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU), or “Brexit” as it’s come to be known, presents uncertainties for all UK-based organizations, starting with the fact that no one knows what the precise terms of Brexit will be—or even if it’s actually going to happen.

If only we had a crystal ball.

But not knowing what lays ahead doesn’t preclude planning ahead. In fact, for UK-based financial services organizations, particularly those providing services in the EU, the existence of multiple possible outcomes might actually be viewed as an opportunity to re-examine current business models to come up with innovative strategies to make the most of whatever the actual outcome turns out to be.

Here at Exela, in connection with providing continued seamless service to our UK-based financial services customers no matter what the outcome, we’ve been contemplating the following factors, which we’re happy to share:

The power of the pivot

In 2016, the British electorate voted that the UK should exit from the EU. Soon after, Prime Minister Theresa May announced the exit process would begin no later than the first quarter of 2017. However, the PM’s announcement was met with immediate opposition, leading to an extension of the exit date to March 29, 2019. Shortly before that date arrived, the date was extended twice more to account for political disagreement over exactly how Brexit would happen:

• Would it be precisely as it had been envisioned by PM May?
• Or was there room for compromise (also known as “Soft Brexit”)?
• Or perhaps agreement required going even further than May had envisioned in severing ties with the EU (“Hard Brexit”)?

The current date set for Brexit is October 31, 2019. However, in mid-May, Brexit discussions broke down, leading PM May’s resignation announcement. Will the date slip further? Will Brexit happen? If so, how?

Only one thing seems clear at this moment, which is that if and when Brexit is finalized, it will be on short notice (no more than three months, and possibly quite a bit less). Accordingly, being prepared requires “planned agility” with the ability to pivot easily and seamlessly. To cultivate such agility, it’s not a bad idea to consider assembling a Brexit leadership team that meets and reports to the CEO on a regular basis (e.g., weekly, or perhaps often as the calendar draws closer to the current Brexit date). Such team would ideally be comprised of key stakeholders.

The relocation equation

One of the major challenges for UK-based financial organizations is that Brexit may mean an end to the current “passporting system,” which enables all EU firms to trade freely with one another, with minimal authorization. If that’s the case, then UK-based financial organizations will suddenly be subject to an array of newly applicable regulatory requirements…unless they relocate, in whole or in part, to a location within the EU.

The “relocation equation” is a complicated moving target, factoring in, among other things:

• How much of the business is affected by newly applicable regulatory requirements?
• Is it possible to relocate some but not all of the business?
• What are the costs associated with relocation (including loss of human capital, time needed for new recruiting, etc.)?
• What is the availability of appropriate premises in alternate locations?

Workforce impact

In the event of Brexit, the following considerations may come into play and should be taken into account at the planning level now:

• Whether and which employees have EU passports
• Willingness of non-EU-passport-holding employees to register as EU citizens
• Workforce sentiment regarding relocation.
• New qualifications, trainings, and certifications that relocation necessitates.

Data security

Currently, data security is governed by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR). The UK has committed to adopting an equivalent set of regulations in the event of Brexit, as well as a fail-safe sort of provisions acknowledging that companies in compliance under the EU are presumptively in compliance with the UK equivalent. But while this allows for the continued flow of personal data from the UK to the EU, it doesn’t take into account the flow of data from the EU to the UK, with respect to which new regulations are anticipated, along with new reporting requirements.

Although it’s impossible to predict exactly how Brexit will unfold, strategic planning must continue for financial services organisations, particularly those based in the UK and performing services throughout the EU. The absence of a clear end-game does not preclude strategic planning, but rather requires the consideration of a variety of factors, some of which we’ve identified here, and all of which Exela, as a provider of services to financial services organizations throughout the world, is taking into account in its own contingency planning.

You can learn more about here about how Exela’s Payment Technologies and Services can streamline your financial institution’s compliance processes—from time-consuming, labor-intensive, and error-prone to time-saving, efficient, and cost-saving. Embracing complexity, delivering simplicity. It’s what we do at Exela.

It’s a straightforward strategy – effective big data management can help lead to better predictive abilities for businesses, and increased predictive abilities can help create better decisions. As a data-driven approach to business decisioning takes hold across industries, it also becomes a progressively more prominent part of creating a competitive advantage for your company. Those that manage big data in the most effective ways, and unlock the insights it can hold can gain an advantage.

But even if effective big data management is becoming a widely-held tenet of effective business administration today, what may be less clear are the steps, systems, processes, and best practices that enterprises must implement to do so effectively.

When it comes to launching a big data management program, enterprises should have a clear vision for the ideal impacts these efforts will have. Several important competencies will serve as the foundation for that vision: from obtaining the right technology, to forming a clear strategy on how to use this information to drive decisions. But of course, that vision only serves as a starting point. Running and managing one of these programs in a best-class manner requires continual improvement and on-going best-practices. Here are five strategies to help your enterprise leverage big data to drive desired outcomes.

1. Focus on the Proper Data

More data proliferates on the internet every second than was stored on the entire world wide web just two decades ago. So, it’s important to think about what will be most helpful for your specific goals by narrowing your focus. Harnessing the right data can provide enterprises the ability to enhance customer experience, tailor go-to-market strategies, and improve operational processes.

But to do so, enterprises need to find the right data. Companies can hone in on a more effective strategy to mine data for operational insights by being precise about the corporate difficulties and opportunities they want to address. Oftentimes, the data that is truly the most useful is already within the enterprise itself, and is centered around employees, processes, customer or clients. For instance, the insights that will help improve processes and operations can lie within daily or monthly service reports from managers. Where are you employees spending their time? How productive are they in terms of reaching benchmarks? Armed with this information, and the right technology platforms, real, actionable insights can begin to be gained.

2. Pair Data with the Right Technology

Not every big data management platform is right for every enterprise. What should business leaders look for in such a platform? You’ll want one that matches and integrates with your legacy technology systems, and which also meets the requirements you need to ingest and analyze data from both structured and unstructured data sources. These can include social media feeds, customer accounts information, client histories, employee performance data, or other sources. Once you understand the type of data your platform will need to address, as well as the type of results you are seeking – you’ll have a better idea of what an ideal platform looks like. Typically, an effective approach is gained from a partnership with a provider who offers these platforms as a service or a license, and which integrate with your data streams.

3. Secure Stakeholder Buy-In – IT, Leadership, and Managerial

What exactly are you trying to accomplish by taking a more serious approach to big data management? Whatever those goals may be – make sure they are clearly communicated to IT, managers and leadership, the stakeholders that matter most in this type of operational improvement. By doing so, you can avoid the pitfall of gathering massive amounts of information only to end up with questions of what exactly you should do with it all now.

Make sure the platforms you procure align with legacy technology to keep the IT team happy, and clearly communicate the benefits that can be derived from big data-driven insights to create further buy-in from management. Letting stakeholders know that this is a well-constructed plan, with clear goals and benefits in mind can help ensure that this endeavor will be a successful one.

4. Speaking of Management…

It requires large amounts of data and sophisticated platforms to truly reshape marketing and communication efforts, process improvements, or strategic leadership directions. This can be intimidating for those in your organization that are not data-focused – managers in other areas of your business such as operations, marketing, or sales. This requires intuitive, easy to use platforms, tools, and interfaces that can help them understand these data-driven insights through a range of dynamic visualization tools, ideally including a summary dashboard view, with the ability to drill down on select traffic for more pointed investigations. Any platform you evaluate should offer such features.

5. Digitally Transform your Company’s Competencies

Collecting, analyzing, and communicating your data-driven insights is a transformative undertaking in and of itself. But in the larger context of a sustainable, effective digital transformation – what’s described in this article is just the beginning. The real work begins once you’ve accomplished what we’ve outlined here, and entails improving your processes according to what the data is telling you. The insights you can gain by putting big data to work for you can create a powerful blueprint for digital transformation. But ultimately, a blueprint is just a plan. It’s up to the stakeholders of each enterprise to put that information into implementable strategies – ones informed by deep, data-driven insights.

Contact us today and learn how Exela transforms your data!

Exela’s Chief Executive, Ron Cogburn, loves telling a good story, especially one with a useful lesson, and when he does, the members of #TeamExela (all 22,000 of us) take notes. Of course, we aren’t the only ones. At the beginning of this year’s baseball season, Ron wowed Forbes readers by placing predictive analytics squarely into the glove pocket of baseball manager Billy Beane’s transformation of the baseball business back in the late 1990s. Now, Ron is at it again, weighing in with other members of the Forbes Technology Council, on the best and most effective team-building techniques.

Ensuring your team is working as a cohesive unit takes real management skill, the Council notes at the outset, but the “range of personalities,” and “varying work and communications styles” often presents challenges. So how do talented team leaders bring their team members together for the best and most effective collaboration? You can readthe full storyhere, but I happen to have the inside scoop on how some of Exela’s team leaders have brought to bear some of the most unique and unexpected strategies into building their top-notch teams. I’m sharing the highlights here, beginning with Ron’s team-building tip.

• Ron Cogburn—CEO of Exela Technologies “This will sound silly to the stuffier side of the business community, but in my company, we hug. There is no faster way to build a relationship of trust and a feeling of unity within a team than to have a little physical, but professional, contact between team members when greeting each other or saying goodbye. Even the most misanthropic people tend to feel some camaraderie with the people they hug.”

• Eliza Leonardis – Director, Marketing and Communications at Exela Technologies "Get to know your team on a personal level. Taking the time to get to know one another as people enables authentic collaboration. It's almost like we can finish one another's sentences, and that just might be the secret sauce for moving as quickly as our jobs require, which is basically warp speed." Note: As one of Eliza's team members, I can completely vouch for that. My first week onboard at Exela involved not only a flurry of one-on-one getting-to-know-you meetings but also a team dinner at a local tapas place. There’ve been more team dinners as others have on-boarded, and I look forward to many more as we grow in force.

• Jeff Gershowitz, General Counsel of Exela Technologies “We have weekly phone calls with the entire legal team, which is geographically spread out. As part of the call, members are welcome to offer sincere kudos to other team members— thanking them for contributions, their dedication, and their accomplishments.” And guess what? They always do. And it’s been proving highly effective at boosting team identity and empathy. In addition, Exela’s Deputy General Counsel, Erik Mengwall, clued me on Jeff’s now-famous “morning walks.” “Every morning, I try to personally walk by everyone’s office to say hello, check in, see how things are going.” As a result of the “morning walks,” Jeff’s team is uniquely “checked in” with one another. Every team has issues from time to time, but those issues never have a chance to fester with Jeff’s approach.

• Carlos Mallen, Senior Vice President Human Resources for Exela (Americas and Europe) “Every day Exela leaders from across the globe focus on keeping their teams together. Whether it's going to lunch together, playing on a company sports teams with each other, or just coming together for a summer picnic or barbeque with coworkers, or a cake to celebrate a new hire or major service anniversary, the idea is the same - have fun and get to know each other. The better we know each other and the more we train ourselves to have fun at work, the easier it will be for our teams to band together and work through the tougher times like a crazy deliverable or a truly complex problem we need to make ridiculously simple in a high trust environment. It's these little things that make us successful... go team!”

• John Garippa, SVP Banking and Financial Services at Exela John’s “cross-pollination” approach begins with the rather brave acknowledgement that to the extent every team member has unique strengths, they also can benefit from the strengths of others on the team. John leverages the diversity of strengths into synergies, and his team members understand the team is strong because of those synergies. Of his unique “no I in Team,” approach, John says the end game is that “the whole team value is greater than the sum of its parts.” Here’s where you can learn more about Exela’s suite of banking and financial services solutions.

• Charlene Hickman, Manager – Proposal Development at Exela Charlene, who manages and coordinates the proposals Exela creates for its customers and potential customers, including those responding to RFPs, has the challenging task of managing a single team of proposal writers who are located in disparate locations around the world. To keep the team operating as a team, Charlene likes to staff projects with pairs of writers from disparate locations. For example, she will pair an India-based writer with a Stamford, Connecticut-based writer. “This pairing fosters idea sharing, collaboration, and team building, as well as provide ‘follow the sun’ support to the sales community,” Charlene explains.

For more up-to-the-minute Exela news, including more our thought leaders, stay tuned to the Exela Blog. To learn more about Exela’s rapidly deployable business process automation solutions, check out our Solutions page.

It is imperative to stay up to date on all COVID-19 news, but this has become increasingly difficult due to the deluge of false information flooding our news and social feeds. So how can you tell the difference between fake news and real? The following are some best practices:

Consider who is sharing the news

Many people on your social media feeds share news without having considered its validity; in fact, many share news without even having read it first. That means it’s up to you to vet the information before you assume it’s true (we’ve got more on that below) and certainly, before you share it.

Consider who published the news being shared

As a general rule, news outlets will be more reliable sources of news than bloggers and other citizen journalists. But there are many exceptions. So, whenever you read a news story, first thing to ask yourself is whether the outlet/journalist is a trusted, respected source. Next, it’s helpful to consider the outlet’s bias using a tool like AllSides. In the case of citizen journalists, you’ll want to ask yourself whether and how this person is qualified to speak on the topic. For example, an M.D. is more likely to be qualified to speak about medical topics, but you’ll also want to consider the particular M.D.’s biases, including their professional affiliations.

READ the news - more than just the headline

Make sure the story, itself, matches the headline. If it doesn’t, it’s called “clickbait.” Please don’t take the “bait” by forwarding it around to your contacts.

Verify the sources cited by the news being shared

Trustworthy journalists cite their source material. Primary sources (e.g., research reports, studies, first-hand quotes) are generally more reliable than secondary sources (i.e., news and commentary about research reports, studies, and quotes). Beware of vague references that you can’t easily qualify or confirm.

Can the info be verified?

If the information is legitimate, you should be able to read it on other legitimate websites. Library databases are a great resource for confirming the credibility of information. It’s always a good idea to verify facts using trusted sources such as the CDC, WHO, your state Department of Public Health and of course, your own doctor.

Here is the best remedy for COVID-19, according to the CDC.

Does it pass the “smell test”?

If someone is making a health recommendation that doesn’t sound quite right, then there’s a good chance it isn’t. If “news” sounds like opinion, it probably is. If news is conveyed using emotional words and/or an emotional tone, you should be suspicious.

When was this news written /published?

COVID-19 information changes minute by minute. In order to have the most accurate data you should check to make sure the information you are reading has been updated recently.

Consult a professional fact-checking service

Make use of fact-checking websites and services such as FactCheck.org, International Fact-Checking Network, PolitiFact.com, or Snopes.com. They’re the pros at vetting news and they do it all day every day. The bottom line is we’ve all seen fake news go viral. It happens fast, and it’s self-perpetuating because people spread it without verifying it.

Here at the Exela Blog, we’re doing our part to vet the news and share only what we can be certain is true. We hope you’ll do the same. As you work through these challenging times, we hope you’ll find this glossary of COVID-19 terms helpful, as well as our special edition of PluggedIN, COVID-19: A Tipping Point For Remote Work. If there is any way you think we can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us at covidresponse@exelatech.com.

Even as attempts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 have sent the global workforce home in droves, many individuals the world over continue to work on-site each day to support essential businesses and business continuity in general. Citizens of the world have taken notice. Here are just two examples:

• Every evening at 7 p.m. New York City residents break into applause to thank first responders and healthcare workers putting their lives at risk to do so.
• McDonald’s is offering free “Thank You Meals” for first responders and healthcare workers between April 22 and May 5.

While we applaud these displays of gratitude, they also beg the question: how are we (and by “we,” we mean everyone everywhere) showing our gratitude toward those members of the workforce who can’t necessarily be called “first responders” but who have continued to work on-site throughout the pandemic? It’s something to think about, right? In the meantime, we can offer the following  insight into how we at Exela are supporting our on-site workforce in supporting our business continuity and the business continuity of our customers:

Staggering work shifts

We have and continue to rejigger work shifts for those employees whose jobs require them to be in the office. Implementing several shifts, as opposed to requiring everyone to be on-site at the same time, supports on-site employees in maintaining greater physical distance from one another by making office spaces less populated.

Providing cleaning products for on-site employees

Providing cleaning products for on-site employees supports those employees in sanitizing their workspaces and keeping their hands free from germs.

Implementing daily cleaning of office space

Cleanliness has never been so important, which is strict daily cleaning of office spaces is critical wherever employees are working on-site.

Providing protective gear

We are providing cloth face coverings for our employees who are on-site in an effort to protect employees from the respiratory droplets of other employees and our customers, where applicable. When our employees must visit viral hot zones such as New York City or medical facilities anywhere (for example, for our healthcare industry customers), we do our best to provide N95 masks (also known as respirators), which are a step above cloth face masks (learn the difference in the COVID-19 Glossary). We also provide protective gloves for all of our on-site employees.

Offering safety training

A mask and gloves won’t help if they become cross-contamination vectors. Therefore, it’s important for on-site employees to be trained in how to apply and remove their protective gear without risking cross-contamination. Training can be provided off-site using tools like Exela’s automated training and certification tools.

Offering non-invasive health monitoring

Wherever our employees are on-site, we have put into place a temperature-monitoring program whereby employees can assess their temperatures (and whether they have a fever). Ideally, this is done via scanner (which doesn’t require skin contact), but disposable thermometer strips are also useful. If anyone logs a temperature of 99F or higher, they should be asked not to enter the site and to instead seek immediate medical attention until a medical fit-for-duty certificate can be obtained.  

Maintaining an agile response plan

At Exela, in the event an employee becomes a “Confirmed Case” (see definition, as well as a full COVID-19 pandemic glossary, here) we have put into place a rapid reporting mechanism whereby all employees are notified and sent home for the day while a nationally reputable cleaning firm disinfects the site before the next workday. We also have a team of experts on hand to collect and analyze all related data using state-of-the-art analytic tool, and business continuity team members, including members of Human Resources and Security leadership, stay on top of such data and related reports to provide continuing real-time guidance on workplace protocols.

“Over”-communicating

The more you communicate with your on-site workforce, the more vital information you and they will have. Keep in at least bi-weekly contact with your employees. Consider offering employee training regarding safety measures. Here at Exela, our Corporate Communications team sends out communications two to three times per week to provide our employees with the latest news, information, updates, and resources.

Encourage your employees to stay informed

With self-service solutions such as Smart Lockers such a popular choice among our customers, it’s only natural we would gravitate toward helping our employees to help themselves become and remain well-informed about the constantly evolving pandemic landscape. Our Corporate Communications team offers news and resources at least weekly, and we keep it reliable by following these 8 ways to sniff out the fake news from what’s true.

Here at the Exela Blog, we’re doing our part to vet the news and share only what we can be certain is true. We hope you’ll do the same. As you work through these challenging times, we hope you’ll find these best practices for making remote working work for you helpful for you -- if you’re working from home, as well as our special edition of PluggedIN, COVID-19: A Tipping Point For Remote Work, a thought leadership publication focusing on remote work trends before, during and after the pandemic and best practices for business leaders and managers to ensure productivity and efficiency while employees are working from home.

If there is any way you think we can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us at covidresponse@exelatech.com.

Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19, the news has been rife with references to communities (from countries to states to localities like counties and municipalities) that have gone on some form of lockdown. Right about now you might be thinking, “Lockdown? That seems extreme; I thought we were just social distancing.” Or if you’ve recently returned from, say, Spain or Italy, perhaps you’re thinking, “Lockdown? Heck, I’m full-on quarantined for the next two weeks.” Technically, however, both social distancing and quarantining are forms of lockdown.

What is lockdown?

Lockdown is a non-technical term that includes all public health measures that are aimed at controlling the movement of members of a community in order to mitigate the spread of illness (in this case, COVID-19).

The difference between Social Distancing and Quarantining

Both social distancing and quarantining are strategies to mitigate the spread of an illness, in this case, COVID-19, which is highly contagious and spread through respiratory droplets (for the precise definitions of the italicized terms, see our Glossary of COVID-19 Terms). However, social distancing presumes you have no reason to believe you might be carrying the virus, and therefore, there is no restriction of movement. Quarantining, on the other hand, is the practice of restricting one’s movements (staying home, and in some cases, staying in one room in one’s home) after exposure to someone who is sick with the virus.

The difference between Quarantining and Isolating

Both quarantining and isolating refer to restricting one’s movements to prevent the spread of illness; in quarantine and isolation, the term “staying home” really means “staying home.” It sometimes even means staying in one room in one’s home (as opposed to moving about freely in one’s home). The difference, however, is that one isolates when one has actually been diagnosed with COVID-19, whereas one quarantines when one believes they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 but have not yet been diagnosed.

The difference between Sheltering-in-Place and Social Distancing, Quarantining, and Isolating

Sheltering-in-place (or sheltering-at-home) is aimed at protecting oneself from catching the virus from someone else. Quarantining and isolating are aimed at protecting other people from catching the virus from you. Social distancing is the means by which viral spread can be contained wherever one is, whether home or out in public.

What is a state of emergency?

When a community (whether a country, a state, or a locality) declares a “state of emergency,” it means that the community’s government has sought federal funds to help the community cope with exigent circumstances (circumstances that are pressing, such as the aftermath of a hurricane; in this case, the exigent circumstances refer to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given that Exela is a global leader in business process automation, you might be tempted to think we’re all about the “robot revolution,” a future in which machines have taken over all our jobs, and humanity is left to suffer a debilitating existential crisis. Sure, we believe it only makes sense to automate any process that works better, faster, and with fewer mistakes when performed by machines (even if a human is overseeing the work). But are we looking to entirely supplant humans with machines? Are we myopically imagining everything should be automated?

No. And no.

“I’ve been in the field of automation long enough to see that many of the most impressive advancements are still quite new,” noted Exela CEO, Ron Cogburn in an article he recently wrote for Forbes in his capacity as a member of the Forbes Tech Council.[1] To wit, driverless cars are actually happening. That said, Ron’s not convinced that’s even close to the edge of the envelope. “Something like machine learning promises to transform everything,” he explains. “In healthcare, researchers found that machine learning systems can correctly classify echocardiogram in 92% of cases--as compared to doctors, who can do so less than 80% of the time. For more on how tech can transform healthcare, check out our Q4 edition of PluggedIN, Tell Us Where It Hurts: How Tech Can Heal Healthcare.

Get PluggedIN Now

As CEO of a business process automation company, Ron is naturally optimistic about this current “era of automation.” However, his optimism is tempered by his understanding that technologies can create challenges, even as they’re solving them. If you need examples, you need only look as far as robocall technology, which has likely turned your cell phone from a private communication haven into a global cold-call center...even as you looked on and thought to yourself, “I didn’t give out my number, did I?”

No, you probably didn’t give out your number, but that’s how “good” the technology is. It can glom onto unpublished phone numbers, create and exploit databases, and keep a low enough profile to escape enforcement by the FTC[2]. And that’s not even close to the most sophisticated automation technology available at the moment. For example, human resources professionals have been leveraging cognitive automation to identify job candidates before the job candidates even realize they’re open to a change in employment. That being said, Ron notes that the artificial intelligence used in automating candidate selection is as biased as the humans who program it. As a result, female candidates are often “discriminated against” by the algorithms intended to seek out the best job candidates. To put it another way, while cognitive automation is promising in the area of corporate recruiting, it can also end up enabling us to make worse decisions while believing they’re better.

“My goal isn’t to discourage anyone from embracing automation,” Ron clarifies. He’s merely tying to underscore that we have to be smart about so-called “smart” technology and not blindly assume it is superior to human reasoning.  To that end, he suggests considering carefully the end user experience, always asking, “is this innovation actually solving a pain point, or is it merely transferring it from one place to another?” He also suggests demanding customization when automating your business processes in order to ensure its underlying algorithms take into account what is unique about your business. Finally, he suggests considering whether automating any given process might lead to newer and bigger costs and challenges.

“Our automated future seems certain, but that doesn’t mean the evolution will be easy,” Ron points out. “Instead of treating automation like a panacea, companies should see it for what it is: a tool with tremendous potential.” As long as it’s deployed responsibly. 

[1] https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2019/11/21/is-automation-always-better/#283fd6ff29ea

[2] https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2019/06/ftc-law-enforcement-partners-announce-new-crackdown-illegal