Prevailing Leadership Styles in Change Management: Evidences from Existing Research

Abstract

Purpose: To study the evidences from the existing research regarding the prevailing leadership styles in change management. Theoretical framework: The study explored the various leadership styles by reviewing the existing literature. It identified various leadership styles like Autocratic, Authoritarian, Bureaucratic, Laissez-Faire, etc. It discusses the importance and difference among the various leadership styles. Design/Methodology/Approach: The secondary literature used for analysis came from previously published sources. SCOPUS, Dimensions, and Google Scholar were the databases used to gather the research. The final group of publications for analysis was screened using the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-PRISMA” guidelines. Twenty different resources were chosen for more research, thematic analysis was used extensively in this investigation. Findings: The findings of this research indicate a correlation between the two styles of “change management”: transformational and transactional leadership. The importance of the conventional bureaucratic styles of leadership declined. Not only do the results highlight the importance of leadership styles, but they also show that employee motivation is a key aspect in every successful business. Research, Practical & Social implications: This article suggested that a highly engaged workforce is essential to the success of any change management initiative. Eventually, it became clear that most leadership styles could be traced back to the theoretical frameworks that Great Man theorists and Kurt Lewin developed. Originality Value: This article is an academic contribution that allows an understanding that Great Man theory, Kurt Lewin’s paradigm having application in principle of contingency management while implementing transformations.