COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LEADERSHIP STYLES IN COMPANIES

Main aim of our research was to do comparative analysis of leadership style of top managers in different countries, in this case in Austria and Czech Republic, because it creates the necessary preconditions for the implementation of the managerial, as well as technological innovation of the process of the real decision making. Almost 600 top managers of the companies in Austria and the Czech Republic were questioned in the framework of longitudinal data analysis and the data were computerized. According to Vroom-Yetton methodology we divide decision making styles into autocratic, consultative and participative ones and strive for identifying managers with the particular styles. Longitudinal data analysis starting in the beginning of 90ties of last century up to year 2014 shows that there are very slow changes in decision-making style of top managers in the Czech Republic, as the representative of the group of post-communist countries. Comparative analysis confirmed the tendency that top managers of Czech companies tend mostly to autocratic, partly consultative decision-making style and managers of Austrian companies to consultative, partly participative styles. Faster changes and shifts for consultative or participative styles are recommended to Czech managers for improving their leadership style.