Embedding a Mentoring Program Within a University Business Course (original) (raw)
Related papers
Investigating the value of a peer-to-peer mentoring experience
Globalization of business skills has become critical as employers have a requirement for culturally adaptable marketing and business graduates who are " work ready " in either Australia or overseas. These students must have both discipline knowledge and soft skills including cultural competence. How students develop intercultural skills at university is discussed. Given that more than ninety percent of local university students do not participate in academic offshore experiences, a focus is on the internationalization-at-home activities that universities offer. This study looks at cross-cultural peer-to-peer mentoring. A paucity of research on the effect of these experiences further enhances the relevance of this topic. This research investigates whether Australian marketing and business students who undertake a cross-cultural peer-to-peer mentoring experience " at home " become more cross-culturally adaptable. A quasi experimental pre and post-test survey shows that this method of an "at home" cross-cultural experience has a significant effect on four of the cultural dimensions. They are Flexibility/Openness, Personal Autonomy, Perceptual Acuity and Fulfilment. This means that as a result of this study, the recommendation for future peer-to-peer mentoring experiences would be to specifically target these significant dimensions as part of the peer-to-peer mentoring agenda. The focus of their agenda on these dimensions would allow peer-to-peer mentors of different ethnicities and those mentors who are Australian born but who mentor students from different countries, to be confident that their work was directly attributable to increasing their mentees' and their own cross-cultural adaptability. It shows that cross-cultural mentoring for marketing and other business students in an " at home " setting is an important part of preparing business and more specifically marketing students for the challenges of the global workplace.
The Development of a Mentoring Program: A Case Study in Review
Mentoring programs are important to the development of knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies. There are numerous reasons for this. First, the number of minority individuals educated; however, unemployed due to lacking knowledge and skills not taught through the formal education programs is too high. Second, changes in organizations’ functional requirements are increasing the number of required skills needed to secure specialized positions; however, these skills are not openly provided in the work place. Third, navigating through organizations with diverse cultures requires being introduced into the understanding and complexities of these cultures. Individuals unexposed to certain cultures and who are not in management positions may have a harder time connecting with the cultures. Fourth, minorities need to understand how to navigate and advance through organizations without losing their identities. Theoretical frameworks referenced are Malcolm Knowles, Andragogy, and Distan...
Good relation and communication between business and academia are crucial nowadays. Business wants students to come fully prepared from the university, and universities need to know the expectations of business in order to secure adequate preparation on the academic field. This article aims to examine the individual approach of communication with students through mentoring programs as a tool for personal development and better employment opportunities for graduates. The authors aim to make literature review of mentoring as an individual technique for communication and development, followed by suggestions on how mentoring could be implemented in university programs to prepare students for their successful business life. This article will also show the advantages and disadvantages of this type of personal development through individual approach.
Peer Mentoring: Exploring the Impact on the Learning Culture of a Business Institute in Pakistan
University education is a new transition from school to undergraduate programs for underprivileged students. Recruiting students from rural areas of Pakistan challenge teachers to teach at a Higher Education while teaching underprivileged students struggling for a better future. The aim of this paper was to introduce peer mentoring between the Business and Professional Speech (BPS) students and the freshmen. The researcher being course faculty of both the Business and Professional Speech and Foundation English students undertook the experiential learning project. The initiative for the project was to explore the impact of peer mentoring on the learning culture of a Business Institute in Pakistan, subsequently , highlighting the skills of lifelong learners in the 21st century of global citizenship. The aim of this paper was also to investigate the strength of mentors in keeping the course objectives aligning with students' interpersonal, intraper-sonal and public communication abilities, at developing students' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Kolb's experiential learning model (1984) was implemented to carry out the project; whilst, students direct data of interviews, video clips, pictures, questionnaires and documents were used to validate the research. Findings demonstrate the benef icial impact on the cyclical learning between the faculty, BPS and freshmen in terms of their improved results, retention of reading tasks and exposure to the real-life challenges of the diverse groups at the university. Peer mentoring could be the possibility of bringing about a change in society if introduced at universities in Pakistan.
Cross-Cultural Mentoring: Exploration through the Lens of African American Students
2013
Culture, trust and prejudice may impact cross-cultural mentoring relationships among African American students attending colleges in the United States. By recognizing the cultural perceptions and differences that exist, mentors and protégés may develop a better understanding of each other’s culture so as to enhance mentoring outcomes and student success. Proponents of diversity in the 1980s argued that “only through an education that emphasized diversity could individuals understand the world, recognize inequities, and gain the tools needed to remedy those inequities” (Baez, 2000, p. 44). Cross-cultural mentoring in academe is one such tool that can promote the exploration of freedom, to cross cultural boundaries and affirm ethnic identities (Cotton, 1993). Cross-cultural mentoring occurs when diverse cultures including Asians, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, African Americans or Whites serve as mentors to students of other cultures. Today’s culturally pluralistic institutions require...
The Development of a Mentoring Program
Mentoring programs are important to the development of knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies. There are numerous reasons for this. First, the number of minority individuals educated; however, unemployed due to lacking knowledge and skills not taught through the formal education programs is too high. Second, changes in organizations’ functional requirements are increasing the number of required skills needed to secure specialized positions; however, these skills are not openly provided in the work place. Third, navigating through organizations with diverse cultures requires being introduced into the understanding and complexities of these cultures. Individuals unexposed to certain cultures and who are not in management positions may have a harder time connecting with the cultures. Fourth, minorities need to understand how to navigate and advance through organizations without losing their identities. Theoretical frameworks referenced are Malcolm Knowles, Andragogy, and Distan...
Cross-Cultural Learning and Mentoring
International Journal of Adult Vocational Education and Technology, 2012
Dr. Malcolm Shepherd Knowles popularized andragogy as the theory of adult learning and was referred to as the Father of Adult Education in the United States (US). As his doctoral students, the authors had extensive personal contacts with him. This paper utilizes the method of autoethnography to explore how cross-cultural learning and cross-cultural mentoring facilitate transformative learning with the development of intercultural competencies for sojourners when they interact with a significant human being in cross-cultural settings.
Analyzing the Relationships Between Culture and Mentoring
Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 2013
If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information.
Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the usability of the Cultural Framework Analysis Process, a strategy designed to examine cultural factors in mentoring endeavors and to identify whether there are patterns of cultural elements that served to hinder or facilitate mentoring programs across a variety of organizations and contexts. The process also involves identifying methods for overcoming the barriers and enhancing the facilitating factors. Design/methodology/approach – Graduate students in a class on mentoring were given an assignment to analyze a mentoring program using the Cultural Framework Analysis Process. They were also asked to share their most significant learning outcomes. Data were gathered by two student groups over a two-year period. Researchers determined the usability of the analysis process by evaluating the quality of the student submissions. They aggregated the data and conducted a content analysis on the facilitating and hindering factors to determine commonalities and the lessons learned. Findings – The Cultural Framework Analysis Process appears to be a useful tool in examining and dealing with cultural elements in mentoring programs and relationships. The barriers and facilitating factors were closely related to one another. The five barriers to success were matching processes; mentee attitude toward matching; lack of organizational support; static or closed organizational culture; and organizational or community culture. The five factors that facilitated mentoring endeavors were: comprehensive and flexible matching; mentee/mentor attitudes; training; organizational culture and demonstrated commitment; and a focus on mentees. Practical implications – The ability to examine the cultural elements in the context of mentoring is vital in assuring mentoring success. Having a description of how the process was conducted should be of value to those wanting to engage in similar analyses. The findings related to the factors identified should help guide those engaged in mentoring endeavors to become more aware of elements to consider and deal with as they create and operationalize their programs. Originality/value – There is a need to enhance the knowledge about the cultural factors involved in mentoring programs and relationships. This research study expands the understanding and presents findings about barriers and supports to mentoring that have not been previously reported. It also provides a mechanism for others to conduct similar analyses as they develop, implement and research mentoring endeavors. Keywords : Mentoring, Barriers, Culture analysis, Facilitating factors Paper type: Research paper