Institutionalizing Sustainability : The Role of Multiple Logics in B Corp Course Integration

Abstract

Sustainability has gained increased importance in business schools, yet its full institutionalization within the curricula remains challenging. To address this gap, business schools are increasingly collaborating with alternative organizations, such as B Corporations. However, the factors driving the integration of these B Corp courses into the curricula are not well understood. This study employs an institutional logic approach to examine in what way institutional logics coexist and shape the integration of B Corp courses within business school curricula. A qualitative analysis of 31 U.S. business schools revealed how the coexistence and hybridization of industry, social institution, and sustainability logic shape B Corp course framing, implementation, and perception. Industry logic drives career readiness and market alignment, social institution logic emphasizes community engagement and ethical responsibility, and sustainability logic promotes long-term impact and transformative education. This research contributes to the discourse on sustainability in business education by illustrating how multiple institutional logics can coexist constructively, offering a model for enhancing the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives in higher education.