I am a doctoral student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and am currently (2016) conducting research on online mentoring as a transformative tool for female career development and entrepreneurial growth. I am collecting information in the form of an electronic survey to gauge the perceptions of females of online mentoring as a transformative tool for career development (corporates) and small business entrepreneurial growth. In this study a small business will be regarded as a business of no more than 50 employees. Online mentoring refers to computer mediated mentoring between a mentor and a mentee and is characterised by its non-face-to-face nature. Info will be canvassed from both mentees (female only) and mentors (male and female). Mentors can also provide insight into their perception of what can be regarded as challenges to online mentoring. This study will provide useful insight on the design and implementation of online mentoring programmes tailored to best suit the needs of females and overcome the perceived and real challenges associated with it. It should further indicate how the benefits of online mentoring could outweigh those of traditional mentoring and so assist in fast-tracking female corporates’ career development as well as providing advice to female small business owners to assist in growing their businesses.
All information will be treated in the strictest confidence and would be used for research purposes only. The majority of the data will be reported in statistical format and no individual respondents will be identified. I would appreciate it if you could complete the attached questionnaire and return to the e-mail address below.
Please note that to complete this questionnaire you must have been involved at some stage in mentoring either as a mentor or a mentee.
The questionnaire comprises of five sections:
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Section A canvasses general information regarding participation in mentoring.
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Section B explores the perception and challenges associated with online mentoring as a transformative tool for mentees and mentors.
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Section C canvasses general demographic information pertaining to all respondents.
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Section D canvasses general demographic information pertaining to corporate employee respondents.
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Section E canvasses general demographic information pertaining to small business owner respondents.
Your cooperation is appreciated.
Sincerely
Nadine Oosthuizen
E-mail: Nadine.oosthuizen@nmmu.ac.za
Supervisor: Prof Sandra Perks
E-mail: Sandra.perks@nmmu.ac.za