E-mentoring women entrepreneurs: discussing participants' reactions

摘要

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to advance the argument for the transformative potential ofrne-mentoring support to women entrepreneurs, presenting an e-mentoring intervention to rural womenrnentrepreneurs in Greece.rnDesign/methodology/approach - A six stage e-mentoring process is practiced through a projectrnsupporting rural women entrepreneurs, based on mentees' and mentors' reactions. Their expressedrndegree of satisfaction with regard to the e-mentoring relationship, achievement of personal goals, asrnwell as their desire to continue the relationship are served as useful indicators. Questionnaires are usedrnduring three times (pre and post the e-mentoring relationship, i.e. before, just after its end and sixrnmonths later) to obtain information from mentees' and mentors' groups.rnFindings - The features of the quality of the e-mentoring relationship such as mentors'/mentees'rncharacteristics, frequency of contacts, and e-services are judged to be satisfactory by both mentors andrnmentees. Mentees perceive that they sufficiently achieved their personal goals, emphasizing thernsuccessful role modeling that their mentors provide. Mentors gain publicity and the broadening ofrntheir connections.rnPractical implications - The survey results could offer substantial assistance to decision makersrnconcerning designing and implementing e-mentoring processes supporting female entrepreneurship.rnOriginality/value - Despite the explosion of online mentoring opportunities, few academic articlesrnand little empirical evidence have addressed e-mentoring support to women entrepreneurs. Thernpresent paper attempts to add research results and suggests a framework of e-mentoring processrndiscussing both mentors' and mentees' reactions.