THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEADERSHIP STYLES ON ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES IN TOURISM BUSINESSES: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

This systematic review aims to examine the effects of different leadership styles on organizational development processes in tourism enterprises. The study analyzed 20 academic studies published between 2010 and 2025 and conducted in the tourism sector in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 protocol. The review evaluated the effects of transformational, servant, ethical, empowering, authentic, inclusive, and transactional leadership styles on indicators such as organizational innovation, employee engagement, learning, ethical climate, sustainability, and service quality. The findings indicate that the most frequently studied leadership styles in the tourism sector are servant, empowering, and ethical leadership. Servant leadership strengthens employee engagement, trust, and ethical behavior; empowering leadership fosters innovation, knowledge sharing and a learning organizational culture. Ethical leadership, in turn, increases service quality and customer satisfaction by creating trust and a perception of justice. Transformational leadership is prominent in vision sharing and motivation, while authentic and inclusive leadership is prominent in the areas of belonging, citizenship behavior and sustainable development. The research reveals that leadership is not only a managerial tool in tourism enterprises but also a key determinant of organizational transformation and sustainability. By presenting a thematic synthesis using qualitative content analysis, the study makes three key contributions to the literature: (1) a theoretical framework integrating different leadership styles within the context of organizational development; (2) a methodological contribution using a PRISMA-based systematic review method; and (3) practical recommendations for tourism managers based on ethical, empowering and participatory leadership. The findings demonstrate the strategic importance of people-centered leadership approaches for innovation, employee well-being and sustainable competitiveness in the tourism sector. © 2025, Hysen MANKOLLI. All rights reserved.