By: Dr. Stephanie Diana Eubank DBA 

On July 31, 2026, I had the privilege of presenting my published doctoral dissertation, The Double-Edged Sword: A Study in Remote Work from the Perspectives of Leadership and Followership on the Topics of Communication, Team Design, and Productivity, at the Academy of Business Research Summer 2026 Conference. 

 
The presentation provided an opportunity to share findings from my doctoral research examining remote work through both leadership and followership perspectives. The study was developed to address significant gaps in the literature, including limited recent academic research and the lack of followership-focused perspectives in remote work studies. 
 
During the presentation, I discussed three primary research questions examining team design, communication, and productivity in remote work environments. Findings revealed that communication remains one of the most important drivers of productivity in remote teams. Participants consistently reported that communication quality mattered more than communication quantity, with platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom serving as critical collaboration tools. 
 
Another key finding involved team design. While leaders frequently cited the importance of subject matter expertise, many participants indicated that team design was rarely intentional in remote environments. This led to discussion of Dream Team Theory and the Apollo Effect, which suggests that teams composed entirely of high-performing experts may experience communication and collaboration challenges if complementary skills and team dynamics are not considered. 
 
Perhaps the most significant finding was the clear perception gap between leadership and followership. Participants reported differing viewpoints regarding communication effectiveness, productivity evaluation, career advancement opportunities, and organizational transparency. These differences highlight the need for organizations to better align leadership practices with employee experiences. 
 
One of the strongest themes to emerge from the research was the preference for workplace flexibility. Regardless of whether participants strongly preferred remote work, both leaders and followers frequently expressed that they would not want to give up the benefits associated with remote and hybrid work arrangements. Flexibility, work-life integration, caregiving support, and autonomy were repeatedly identified as valuable aspects of the modern workplace. 
 
The presentation concluded with practical recommendations for organizations, including improving transparency around productivity measurement, developing remote leadership competencies, adopting intentional team-design practices, and maintaining flexibility as a workforce strategy. 
 
I am attaching both the conference PowerPoint presentation and the PDF version of my published dissertation to this post for anyone interested in exploring the research in greater detail. 
 
Presenting at the Academy of Business Research Conference was an honor and an opportunity to contribute to ongoing discussions regarding the future of work. The conversations that followed reinforced an important conclusion from the research: remote work is here to stay, and organizations that understand both leadership and followership perspectives will be best positioned to succeed. 
 

References 

Academy of Business Research. (2026). Summer 2026 Conference Program. 

Eubank, S. D. (2025). The Double-Edged Sword: A Study in Remote Work from the Perspectives of Leadership and Followership on the Topics of Communication, Team Design, and Productivity (Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University Chicago). 

Book Information  
Remote Work Is Here to Stay: Rethinking Operations Management in the Modern Work Era  
Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H5BPJCHJ  

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Also, be sure to check out my first textbook on Operations Management. The book is titled “Remote Work Is Here to Stay: Rethinking Operations Management in the Modern Work Era.” You can purchase the textbook on Amazon at the link below.