Guests:
Alex Bolinger is the Interim Dean of the ISU College of Business, and ICCU Endowed Professor of Management at Idaho State University. A graduate of the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah, Alex has published nearly two dozen articles and cases on teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurship in outlets such as the Harvard Business Review and the Academy of Management Review, among other outlets. An advocate of experiential, interactive approaches to teaching and learning, Alex's classes have learned about teamwork by writing seven books about local organizations, raised five figures for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Idaho, and brought home two dozen trophies over the past decade from the International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition in Anaheim, California.
Rehnaz (Rae) Karanjia recently graduated from Idaho State University with her Master's of Business Administration degree. An experienced event-planning professional with multinational project management experience, Rae leveraged her education at ISU by serving as President of the Graduate Association of Business Students, where she organized the college's first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit. She was also selected for ISU's graduate entry into the 2025 International Collegiate Business Strategy Competition, where her team swept the awards in one of the most dominating performances in the history of ISU's College of Business. Rae has presented research at the Western Case Writers Association conference in Long Beach, California, and at ISU's Research Symposium.
Alicia Pino is a graduate student in the Master of Business Administration program at Idaho State University. She is a Senior Product and Program Manager at MedStudy, where she puts into practice her research on leading projects in remote work environments. During her time at ISU, Alicia was tapped as a panelist at the college's first-ever Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit. She has presented her research at the Western Case Writers Association conference in Long Beach, California, as well as part of the Three-Minute Thesis competition, and at ISU's Research Symposium.
Episode description: The September episode of ISU Research Innovation and Creativity Insights on KISU-FM explores cutting-edge research and creative achievements at Idaho State University. The radio show is hosted by Marty Blair, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, and this episode features Dr. Alex Bolinger, Interim Dean and ICCU Endowed Professor of Management in the College of Business; Rehnas Karanjia, a recent MBA graduate; and Alicia Pino, a current MBA student and senior product manager. The discussion delves into their collaborative research on leadership and feedback in remote work environments, a topic propelled to prominence during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Bolinger shares his background as a scholar in teamwork, leadership, and entrepreneurship, and emphasizes how his partnership with Alicia and Raynas, both experienced in diverse remote work settings, shaped the research project. Their conversation highlights practical challenges and innovations in remote team management, including the loss of informal feedback, new efforts to replicate in-person “water cooler” moments, and the uniquely flattened hierarchies of virtual meetings. Alicia Pino discusses how digital tools like Zoom remove traditional office barriers but also require leaders to work harder at fostering inclusion and soliciting genuine feedback.
Rehnas Karanjia recounts her multinational event planning experience and how her journey from Dubai to Idaho influenced her academic and professional trajectory, as well as her hands-on contributions to the study. The guests detail real-world strategies implemented by remote leaders, such as scheduled informal time and creative team-building competitions, while candidly acknowledging the limitations and ongoing struggles to foster spontaneous connection.
A core theme of the episode is the reciprocal learning between faculty and students at ISU, where classroom and workplace expertise combine to produce meaningful, actionable research.
