2.8 Effective Support to Small Businesses and Best Practices
2.8.1 Mentorship Model
In discussing this model, it is important to understand the concept first and the term mentorship. Literature has provided various definitions for the term mentoring and refined it along the line over time. Spiller (2011) describes the word “mentor” as it has become widely used in organisations and in a range of professional contexts and often used synonymously with the related concepts of coaching and supervision. Whereas the mentoring relationship may involve elements of both of these activities, the role of mentor is generally broader and less specific than either of these terms suggest.
Traditionally, mentoring has been seen as a supportive relationship between an experienced person (the mentor) and a less experienced protégé. Ayatse (2017) citing
55 Inzer et al. (2005), defines mentoring as a one-to-one relationship in which an expert or a senior person voluntarily gives time to teach, support, and encourage another (Santamaria, 2003). The term mentor came from Greek mythology from the name of an old man who Odysseus left in charge of his home and his son, Telemachus, while he went on a ten-year journey. Mentor helped the boy become a young man and on occasion saved his life. The concept of mentoring therefore relates to emotional support and guidance usually given by a mature individual to a younger person called a protégé.
Over time, there has been much refining of the definition of the term mentoring.
According to Zachary (2002) as cited in Ayatse (2017), mentoring refers to passing on knowledge of subjects, facilitates personal development, encourages wise choices, and helps the protégé to make transitions. In other research findings, it is stated that most of the literature primarily examines mentoring in relation to individual career development, with the mentor assumes the role as a friend, career guide, information source, and intellectual guide. This review promotes mentoring with peers, whereas those in the mentoring relationship are colleagues. Both participants have something of value to contribute and to gain from each other. Participants in peer mentoring are more likely to achieve a level of mutual expertise, equality, and empathy frequently absent from traditional mentoring relationships.
In small business world, according to Memon et al. (2015), mentor guides entrepreneurs from conception of business to product development and business growth. The entrepreneur may need different mentoring support and skills depending on the type of entrepreneurs, personality traits, or decision-making style and phase at which entrepreneurs are at that moment. Studies indicate that there are various mentoring phases that pass through four stages. The table below will outline those stages:
56 Table: 2.4: Stages of Business Development
Mentoring Stages Activities
Stage 1: Initiation Stage Engagement phase: This is the first phase where the mentor and mentee are starting to talk and engage each other.
Establishing identity of dyad as entity (i.e. the dimension of relationship which is critical in increasing the probability of meaningful and more frequent interactions, which is an important feature of high-quality relationship)
Forging attachment to one another: it is at this stage where the mentor and mentee forming that important bond for the successful relationship.
Stage 2: Cultivation Stage Active phase: During this phase the mentor and mentee are actively engaging and building this relationship.
Confirmation of roles: The roles and responsibilities between the two parties are also confirmed at this stage.
Mutuality of self-disclosure: Honestly is the backbone of a successful mentoring relationship. The mentor and mentee need to disclose their interest and anything that may jeopardise the relationship.
Clear relational boundaries: Clear boundaries and are drawn at this phase to ensure that each party is fully aware of how far this relationship goes and the parameters.
Information sharing: it is during these phase where the mentor and mentee share that information which brought them together.
It all happens at this stage.
Stage 3: Closure or Separation Stage
Ending phase: like everything else, there is a beginning and the ending, so is mentorship. Mentorship as an intervention has time frame it does not go forever, it does come to an end after that period and it is during this phase where the mentorship as process ends.
Physical and emotional separation: the mentor and mentees remove their physical and emotional attachments from each other.
Obtaining closure: They close the chapter and access their achievements.
Stage 4: Redefinition Stage Friendship phase: it is at this stage where the mentor and mentee assess if they can still engage, however at another level (either friendship or colleague), which usually does not have a time line
Supportive colleagues: Also whether the mentor will still continue to support the mentee at colleague level is discussed at this stage.
Possible friendship: Again because of the close relationship, openness and honesty established in phase 2, mentor and mentee usually carry on as friend after the third stage of mentorship.
Source: adapted from Memon et al. (2015),
57 Following the above stages, studies demonstrate an important role played by mentorship as an effective tool for breaking down barriers to successful entrepreneurship. Smith and Beasley (2011) as cited by Moulson (2015) studied entrepreneurs in the United Kingdom to determine what obstacles they faced and what they could do to remove them. The interviewees of the study mentioned constraints such as an initial lack of general business skills, access to specialist advice, and family entrepreneurship experience. The constraints are in line with other work by Lockyer and George (2012) who studied barriers women face to opening businesses. In each of these studies, mentoring was an effective tool to overcome barriers. Accordingly, mentorship is a tool that small business owners can use help them navigate these challenges. Studies further revealed that mentorship is more effective if it is done by someone who is already in the field with practical experience. Eesley (2013) argued that entrepreneur mentors, especially serial entrepreneurs who have failed before, can help their mentees reduce their fear of failure, because they can help them to develop a more realistic assessment of the possible choices in their ventures.
Because of the important role played by mentors to assist, development and improve small business performance, government around the world are using the mentoring tool. For example, Moulson (2015) states that the Centre for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE) in India has developed a programme called Mentor Edge (Gupta & Asthana, 2014). The programme is a pan-India initiative that provides networking and handholding support to new entrepreneurs (Gupta & Asthana, 2014).
Gupta and Asthana found the mentees were satisfied with this program, and their mentor helped them achieve their goals. In South Africa, government has initiative different mentorship programme to support and development small business, for example SEFA Pre-loan Mentorship Programme and Post-loan Mentorship Programme, the programme aimed to provide business mentorship to entrepreneurs who have received funding from SEFA and those who are applying. SEFA assesses applications and approve following preparation of a specific intervention. A mentor is then appointed and the mentorship process commences with dissemination of regular reports to all parties. The mentorship is terminated at a pre-agreed period (SEFA 2017).
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