What Factors Affect Coaching and Mentoring in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises

Abstract

This study adopts a mixed methodology case study approach in order to provide support for the call for a radical re-evaluation of what enables coaching and mentoring within the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) context. The findings highlight the complex and inter–related nature of many of the barriers that hinder practice and support the contention that at the core of both of these phenomena is the pervasive level of control that owner/managers actually wield. Significantly this means that owner/manages hold the key to coaching and mentoring success within the SME environment and their engagement by government agencies and providers is crucial.

Keywords

• Small and medium sized enterprises
• coaching
• mentoring
• management style
• gender