What business could learn from the riots...

There seems to be little else to talk of in social media and through broadcast news in the UK these past couple of days than the riots spreading through London and to other cities around the country.

Photo from the Guardian

This blog talks more about social media than social unrest, though it is easy to see how different the riots now are different from the riots of the eighties.  True, both happened under a Tory government imposing swingeing cuts to public services.  Both happened at a time of great recession and increasing unemployment.  But the riots of today are not politically driven. They have simply become a combination of street-party and shopping spree (with 0% credit and nothing to pay until you get caught).

The Great Google has, once again, provided a lovely mash-up to show exactly where the riots have been having across Britain's capital:


View London riots / UK riots: verified areas in a larger map

The traditional media have spoken of the rioters (or looters) self-organising through social media; whilst the Urban Mashup Blog has pointed out that it isn't the usual social media the looters are using, but BBM, Blackberry's Messenger service, which is private and has recently been heavily promoted to the urban youth in the UK with promotions by Jay-Z etc.

So what can business learn from this?

First of all, Blackberry is still a robust system for internal communications and the messenger service could be used more (I've not seen corporate use of BBM).

Secondly, the legal profession should be flooding BBM with ads for criminal solicitors as looters are slowly hoovered up by the police and will need representation.

Thirdly, buy shares in glaziers - a lot of windows will need replacing very soon. Sell shares in insurance companies (or are riots considered 'acts of God' - a strange god that would allow such things...but anyway).

Fourthly, there is a great opportunity for producers of GPS and RFID locator chips. Many products are already have such devices already fitted. What I predict will happen more from now on is that everything from expensive trainers to LCD TVs will have the chips fitted, meaning that producers can locate them at any time. This should help after-sales service and warranties (are there more defects occurring in specific areas that might be due to a particular shipping agent?); but will also mean that looters and normal everyday thieves will no longer be able to enjoy their ill-gotten gains.

Fifthly, and finally, mass collaboration. It has been shown time and time again (see Wikinomics for some examples) how mass collaboration can not only benefit businesses through knowledge sharing, ideas generation and stakeholder engagement, but also create huge profits by tapping into the 'crowd' and using the world as your workforce.

If rioters and looters are able to self-organise when the incentive is a new, free TV, the only obstacle to harnessing that energy for good is to find the right incentive.

That, for businesses today, is not only a challenge, but an opportunity.