Mentoring relationships among managerial and professional women in Turkey

Purpose – Although qualified women are still underrepresented at ranks of senior management in all countries, considerable progress has been made in identifying work experiences associated with career success and advancement. The studies of mentor relationships in North America have shown that women receiving more functions from their mentors reported benefits such as greater job and career satisfaction, and female mentors provided more psychosocial functions than did male mentors. The present study examined antecedents and consequences of mentor relationships in a sample of managerial and professional women working for a large organization in Turkey. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from 192 women managers and professionals using anonymously completed questionnaires. Findings – The following results were obtained: having a mentor relationship had little impact on work outcomes, female and male mentors generally provided the same mentor functions, and mentor functions had little impact on work outcomes. Practical implications – Highlights the potential role of both organizational and societal values in mentoring programs. Originality/value – These findings are at odds with previously reported results obtained in Anglo-Saxon countries. Possible explanations for the failure to find previously reported benefits of mentoring are offered.