Date of Award

12-1999

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Systems Engineering and Management

First Advisor

Paul W. Thurston, PhD

Abstract

A study of 91 Coast Guard junior officers and their mentors established the construct validity for mentoring functions and barriers to mentoring. The Air Force relies on supervisors to provide mentoring to their subordinates. The key predictors of whether junior officers report their supervisors as mentors were similarity between mentor and mentee and the quality of the supervisory relationship in terms of LMX and psychosocial and career development mentoring functions. The results demonstrated evidence for a compensatory theory of mentoring. Multiple mentors do not have a synergistic effect on mentoring relationships. The key predictors of reporting an additional mentor (other than the supervisor) were not considering supervisors as mentors and not experiencing the barrier, lack of access to mentors. The study identified a critical group who might be overlooked by organizations' mentoring programs. People who report not having a mentor (supervisor or other) have the lowest scores on self-assurance, supervisory relationships and mentoring functions.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GIR-LAL-99D-9

DTIC Accession Number

ADA374159

Comments

The author's Vita page is omitted.

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