Antecedents Associated With Mentor Functions Received and Career Outcomes Reported by Proteges and Non-Mentored Employees
Open Access
- Author:
- Bouquillon, Edward Allen
- Graduate Program:
- Workforce Education and Development
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- February 17, 2004
- Committee Members:
- David Lynn Passmore, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
John Joseph Sosik, Committee Member
Edgar Paul Yoder, Committee Member
Kenneth Gray, Committee Member
William J Rothwell, Committee Member - Keywords:
- mentor functions
informal mentoring
formal mentoring
career outcomes - Abstract:
- This study examined the associations between personal and organizational antecedents and mentor functions received and intrinsic and extrinsic career outcomes for protégés and for non-mentored individuals. Significant relationships were found between mentor functions reported in formal and informal mentor relationships and the personal antecedents of trust, identification, and familiarity. The organizational antecedent of logistical opportunity was moderately correlated to mentor functions received, while interaction potential had no correlation to mentor functions received by protégés in formal or informal relationships. No significant differences were found in mentor functions received by protégés in formal and informal mentoring relationships. Extrinsic and intrinsic career outcomes were examined for formally, informally, and non-mentored respondents. Occupation was found to be a significant factor. Industry respondents scored significantly higher in career expectations than those in education. Education respondents scored significantly higher in career involvement than industry respondents. Individuals in an informal mentoring relationship or no relationship scored significantly higher on career planning and career involvement than individuals in formal mentoring relationships. Individuals in an informal mentoring relationship scored significantly higher on job satisfaction than those in a formal mentoring relationship. Individuals in formal mentoring relationships scored significantly higher on career expectation than those in no relationship. Findings indicate that protégés reporting supervisory mentors experienced similar mentor functions as protégés reporting non-supervisory mentors. Protégés with supervisory mentors reported higher levels of compensation than protégés with non-supervisory mentors. Additional analysis indicated that the presence of dyadic consensus was significantly related to protégés reporting higher levels of mentoring received, but had no relationship to intrinsic or extrinsic outcomes reported by protégés. No differences were found in mentoring functions received by protégés across the varying gender compositions studied. Descriptive statistics indicated that protégés in formal relationships report experiencing phases similar to protégés in informal relationships. Results suggest that formal mentoring may be as effective for protégés as informal mentoring in regards to career development, psychosocial support and role modeling received. Organizations seeking to provide a quality mentoring program for employees are encouraged to prioritize personal antecedent development in the dyad.