Contextualizing social impact business research: institutional and local drivers at ETSU’s College of Business and Technology

Purpose This paper aims to examine how institutional and local characteristics influence social impact business research within the context of East Tennessee State University’s College of Business and Technology. The authors explore how these characteristics align with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)’s criteria for impactful research and contribute to building organizational legitimacy. Design/methodology/approach Using an iterative-pragmatic case study approach, the authors engaged 22 faculty and administrators over a six-month period in a multiphase process that included workshops, document reviews, interviews and coding of social impact activities. Data were analyzed against AACSB’s impactful research criteria and dimensions of legitimacy theory (moral, pragmatic and cognitive). Findings Results highlight three primary enablers of impactful research: (1) alignment of vision, mission and strategy with societal needs; (2) distinctive cross-disciplinary structures linking business and technology; and (3) engagement with high-need regional contexts. Projects demonstrate how institutional and regional conditions can foster AACSB-aligned research and enhance its legitimacy. Originality/value This paper extends legitimacy theory by linking institutional and local enablers to AACSB’s impactful research framework, offering practical insights for how business schools can leverage regional context and organizational structures to foster impactful, socially relevant scholarship.