E‐mentoring for small business: an examination of effectiveness

Abstract

Purpose

While information and communications technology provides new opportunities for supporting mentoring, there is a need to explore how effectively these potential benefits are being realised. This paper seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of a program in the small business context as a basis for proposing determinants of e‐mentoring effectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative inquiry, this study aims to establish patterns in the characteristics of effective and ineffective e‐mentoring partnerships using a model derived from information systems success field.

Findings

The study establishes a basis for understanding how the potential benefits of structured e‐mentoring are being realised in the small business context.

Research limitations/implications

The study empirically establishes a range of determinants of effective e‐mentoring in the small business context.

Originality/value

The study provides a set of critical success factors and evaluation criteria for use by practitioners who are developing and evaluating the effectiveness of e‐mentoring programs.

Citation

Rickard, K. and Rickard, A. (2009), "E‐mentoring for small business: an examination of effectiveness", Education + Training, Vol. 51 No. 8/9, pp. 747-768. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910911005280