software package known as the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) (Botha, 2000, pp. 22, 204).
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THE
and related policies of affirmative action stipulated that the economy had to become more representative in terms of the demographics of the South African population. This brought forth the need for methods of human resource development, such as mentoring, to develop the professional and personal skills of members of the previously disadvantaged race groups.
This finding indicated that the developmental needs of members of the pre- viously disadvantaged groups had to be addressed by means of cross-cul- tural mentoring relationships (Botha, 2000, p. 207).
Most respondents (30.6%) were from the age category 35–44, while 27.7% of the respondents represented the 45–54 and 55+ age category. This finding indicated that there was more or less an equal distribution of junior or less experienced employees who were in an early career phase and sought the advice and guidance of a mentor, and senior and experienced employees who were willing to act as mentors (Botha, 2000, p. 205).
The findings of the study indicated that the biggest challenge posed to the implementation of a structured mentoring programme at the NLSA was the heterogeneous and cross-cultural nature of mentoring relationships rather than the availability of mentors and prote´ge´s who were willing to participate in the programme.
Human Resource Development within the NLSA
Three aspects were identified that impact on the manner in which human resource development manifests in the NLSA. These factors are the nature and structure as well as the culture of the organisation. A large number of respondents (66.7%) indicated that the management of the NLSA valued the development of their skills. This was also confirmed by the fact that 56.5% of the respondents indicated that they regard the NLSA as a learning organisation. However, 41.7% of the respondents were of the opinion that the NLSA does not provide employees with enough opportunities for the development of their skills, which clearly indicated the need for human resource development initiatives.
The structure of the NLSA is regarded as bureaucratic in nature by 71.7%
of the employees. This type of organisational structure is not always re- garded as conducive to the implementation of a mentoring programme due to the fact that it is characterised by centralised management and decision making, a variety of managerial layers, rigid and hierarchical relations that have to be adhered to, as well as tasks and activities which have to be completed within specific timeframes. These aspects pose unique challenges
to mentors and prote´ge´s and necessitate the involvement of the manager of the prote´ge´ in the process.
Almost all the respondents (80.0%) indicated that the culture of the NLSA was conducive to the implementation of mentoring, since they were able to identify an experienced individual who had a particular skill in terms of which they would like to be developed. In addition to this overwhelm- ingly positive response, 56.5% of the respondents indicated that they were of the opinion that employees of the NLSA are supportive of one another in terms of the development of their skills. The findings indicated that, al- though respondents were of the opinion that there was a lack of opportunity for employees to develop their skills, they are willing to participate in ex- isting as well as new initiatives created by management in order to expand their skills (Botha, 2000, pp. 212–215).
Participation of Employees in Mentoring as a Method of Human Resource Development
The respondents who indicated that they would be willing to participate in a mentoring process at the NLSA totalled 83.6%, while 4.9% of the respond- ents showed a lack of interest in participating in a structured mentoring programme, either as mentors or as prote´ge´s. A profile was compiled of the characteristics of a typical respondent who would be interested to participate in a structured mentoring process. These characteristics are as follows:
1. Gender: male (94.7%) versus female (78.6%).
2. Race: black (94.7%) versus coloured (91.7%) versus white (71%).
3. Participation as a mentor: +15 years of service at the NLSA (88.9%).
4. Participation as a prote´ge´: 0–5 years of service at the NLSA (84.6%).
5. Nature of work at the NLSA: employees responsible for non-professional or non-library and information science-related activities (84.2%) versus employees responsible for library and information science-related activ- ities (82.5%).
6. Participation as a mentor: responsible for current position: 11–+15 years (100%).
7. Participation as a prote´ge´: responsible for current position: 0–5 years (84.2%).
8. Qualification: unqualified or not a library- and information science-re- lated qualification (85.7%) versus a library- and information science- related qualification (80.8%).
In addition to the above-listed characteristics of a typical respondent who would be interested in participating in a structured mentoring process, a total of 80.3% respondents indicated that they were interested in partici- pating as a mentor, while 86.7% respondents indicated that they would like to participate as prote´ge´s (Botha, 2000, pp. 215–219).
Manifestations of Mentoring Relationships
As indicated in the literature and as discussed earlier [see manifestations and variations of mentoring], mentoring relationships can manifest in a variety of ways. Some of the most significant findings in terms of the manner in which a structured mentoring process should manifest at the NLSA are:
1. Heterogeneous mentoring relationships: A total of 65.6% of the re- spondents indicated that they did not have any specific gender preferences and indicated that they would be willing to participate in a heterogeneous mentoring relationship.
2. Position of the mentor in the organisational structure: A total of 63.9%
of the respondents indicated that they did not have any preferences in terms of the position of their mentor in the structure of the organisation and that their mentor did not have to be directly in line with them in terms of the organisational structure. This finding indicated that mentors should be included in the programme based on their experience and skills rather than their seniority within the organisation.
3. Group mentoring: A total of 41.0% of respondents indicated that they did not have any objection to being mentored in a group context which correlates with the finding that the NLSA is regarded as a learning or- ganisation and that employees are supportive of one another in terms of the development of their skills.
4. Cross-cultural mentoring relationships: The opinion of respondents was not tested in terms of their willingness to participate in a cross-cultural mentoring relationship due to the sensitivity of racial issues at the time the research was conducted (Botha, 2000, pp. 220–221).
Effect of Mentoring
The majority (42.8%) of the respondents indicated that they did not expect to be promoted as a result of their participation in a structured mentoring
process, while 32.8% regarded it as a realistic outcome of their willingness to participate. Although a large number of employees (85.0%) were of the opinion that the satisfaction they would possibly experience as a result of their participation in the mentoring programme was sufficient compensa- tion, 29.3% of the respondents expected to be compensated in financial terms for their participation in the mentoring programme (Botha, 2000, pp.
221–222).
Although the research project focused on the use of mentoring in terms of its classical function or as a method to develop the professional skills of employees rather than the more modern or contemporary view of mentoring as a knowledge management technique, the findings of the research were overwhelmingly in favour of the implementation of a structured mentoring process at the NLSA.