How to Generate Research Impact: A Framework and Checklist for Impact-Aware Information Systems Research

vom Brocke, Jan.; Bergener, Katrin; Stein, Armin; Franzoi, Sandro; Becker, Jörg; Grisold, Thomas; Hein, Andreas; Król, Dariusz; Ramos, Isabel; Rosemann, Michael; Song, Minseok; & Winter, Robert

Abstract

Research impact has emerged as a defining challenge for the Information Systems discipline. While bibliometric indicators remain prevalent, they capture only a fraction of the value Information Systems research generates for organizations, policy, and society. This panel report documents the outcomes of a structured workshop held at the ERCIS Annual Workshop 2025 in St. Gallen, Switzerland, in which 55 Information Systems scholars from across the globe collectively reflected on the nature, mechanisms, and future directions of research impact. Drawing on a World Café format with three thematic breakout sessions – covering past experiences of impact generation, current process practices, and forward-looking aspirations – the workshop surfaced rich, practitioner-grounded insights. Synthesizing these insights, we develop a research impact framework that maps six core impact themes – problem relevance & societal value, stakeholder engagement & co-creation, credible actionability, adaptiveness & learning, ethics & risk awareness, and sustainability & longevity – against the four phases of Benbya et al. (2026) impact framework: planning, delivering, measuring, and communicating. The matrix serves as a practical self-assessment tool for Information Systems researchers seeking to design more impactful research. Our findings point to the importance of sustained stakeholder partnerships, problem-driven research design, and institutional ecosystems that reward societal relevance alongside academic rigor.