Mentoring for entrepreneurs: A boost or a crutch? Long-term effect of mentoring on self-efficacy

This study focuses on whether a mentor can facilitate the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy particularly with regard to opportunity recognition (ESE-OR) for novice entrepreneurs and whether their level of learning goal orientation (LGO) has a moderating effect. Based on a sample of 219 me...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International small business journal 2020-08, Vol.38 (5), p.424-448
Main Authors: St-Jean, Étienne, Tremblay, Maripier
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Entrepreneurs
Learning
Mentoring
Mentoring programs
Respondents
Self-efficacy
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Summary:This study focuses on whether a mentor can facilitate the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy particularly with regard to opportunity recognition (ESE-OR) for novice entrepreneurs and whether their level of learning goal orientation (LGO) has a moderating effect. Based on a sample of 219 mentees and a longitudinal follow-up for 106 of these respondents, the results show that mentoring supports the development of ESE-OR, but only for low LGO mentees. Furthermore, the effect of mentoring on ESE-OR for low LGO mentees is ephemeral as it decreases once the relationship ends. This suggests the need for long-term support in order to maintain their ESE-OR high throughout the entrepreneurial endeavour. At the opposite end, high-LGO mentees see their ESE-OR slightly decline in an intense mentoring relationship suggesting that mentoring helps to adjust ESE-OR to a more appropriate level for novice entrepreneurs.
ISSN:0266-2426
1741-2870
DOI:10.1177/0266242619901058