Investigation on the Impact of Leadership Styles Using Data Mining Techniques

This chapter focuses on the three major leadership styles, namely, laissez faire, transactional and transformational leadership styles and their relationship to the leadership outcomes (extra effort, effectiveness, and satisfaction). A review is conducted on related leadership theories, development of leadership styles and the relationship between leadership styles and the outcomes. The survey using convenient sampling method was carried out in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. A quantitative analysis was conducted on collected data using statistical methods (such as correlation and regression analysis) and state-of-the-art data mining techniques (rule-based approaches and decision tree modelling) were also used to ascertain the relationship between leadership styles and leadership outcome. The data mining techniques were used to extract hidden trends and patterns in the data to report various ways to increase the employee outcomes by fine-tuning leadership styles. The results of such research would enable the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to identify the most prevalent leadership styles and to devise actionable strategies to improve the best suitable leadership styles for the management.