The murders of Michael Brown in 2014 and George Floyd in 2019 sparked a series of protests, catapulting the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement to the forefront of modern civil rights discussion. Despite attracting crowds upwards of 26 million, these protests were not premeditated, but rather a reaction from community members to great injustice. 

Ravi Kudesia’s research examines how this type of spontaneous anger in protesting crowds can act as the catalyst to major social movement efforts. Kudesia’s analysis identifies key moments in the George Floyd murder which sparked anger within the community, galvanizing protestors into action towards a greater cause.

Like galvanizing action in social movement, harnessed anger can have similarly potent functionality in business strategy. Specifically, anger and discontent may help leaders fight to stay relevant in a competitive market or push for ongoing innovation and excellence.