The relationship between leadership styles and its effect on creativity among first-line managers in hotel industry in Jerantut, Pahang Darul Makmur / Arif Hasbullah Roslan

Leadership styles has a long documented history of positive outcomes especially creativity. However, it is unclear under what conditions leadership styles influences creativity because studies have produced mixed conclusions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between leadership styles and its effect on creativity among first-line managers in hotel industry in Jerantut, Pahang Darul Makmur. This study used a stratified sampling frame from three and four star hotels in Jerantut, Pahang and examined first-line managers for each hotel. 56 participants are directed to complete a set of questionnaires for each of them and the return rate was 94.6%. From the findings it had given answers towards the research question, and it found that there is a relationship between leadership styles and creativity among first-line managers in the hotel industry in Jerantut, Pahang (r = 0.44, p <0.01) and it found that leadership style being practiced is transactional leadership (m = 2.60). Others than that, it found that transactional leadership (r = 0.82) does influence hotel first-line managers creativity (r = 0.42). A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine which leadership styles contribute most to the hotel first-line managers creativity and a significant relationship was found R2 18 F(1,51) = 10.92, P <0.01. Even though a significant results was found, the limitations to this study such as a small sample size and construct validity issues may have influenced this significant results. It is important to understand the relationship between leadership and creativity so that leaders and organizations can find ways to enhance creativity, which would ultimately increase an organization's ability to produce positive outcomes.