Influence of leadership style on employees’ innovative activity

The aim of this research is to identify leadership styles that stimulate innovation at universities in China and Russia. The interviews were conducted with 116 respondents (managers and teachers), whose answers were ranked based on the Saaty scale. Then, answers were presented in the form of rating tables of leadership actions that promote and impede innovation. The results were analyzed in terms of Likert theory and Hofstede theory, which allowed the authors to identify the most effective leadership style for the managers of Chinese and Russian universities. Results show that the correction of the leader’s actions can stimulate innovation, as well as meet the expectations and needs of employees if managers and subordinates assess differently the importance of the work process aspects. An authoritative leadership style will help maintain trust within the team and prevent a significant removal of the leader from the immediate daily work process, which provokes a deepening of the difference in assessments of further innovative management and development.