Insights into the determinants towards building successful dyadic mentoring relationships.

This thesis provides insight to dyadic mentoring relationships experienced through a mentoring programme within a Higher Education Institution, UK. The aim of the investigation is to explore what happens within mentoring relationships, how they build and whether, determinants, characteristics and traits which differentiate 'successful' and 'unsuccessful' relationships can be identified. This study is important since organisations and individuals invest time and resource into mentoring schemes and by providing insight into factors which support successful mentoring this may help to inform future mentoring scheme design and implementation. Currently there is an identified lack of in-depth empirical research in the field. The experience of eleven mentoring pairs was the focus of this research. A longitudinal study was undertaken over the period of the mentoring intervention and the participants' 'lived' experiences were elicited at four points in time to provide insight into each of the mentoring relationships. Sixty seven interviews were recorded and interpreted. Through the analysis of each case (relationship pairing) insights into the determinants that influence dyadic mentoring relationship building is presented. A conceptual framework is derived, offering new insights, new ways of thinking about how the complexities of mentoring relationship building interplay. This research labels the themes as: perspicacity, capacity, modus-operandi, ingredients. It identifies a typology and classification of mentoring relationship types, which this research labels as: progressive, flat-lining, break-down and reveals determinants which contribute to 'successful' mentoring relationships and conversely factors which inhibit development and may lead to dysfunctionality. The significance of an additional pre-mentoring phase, is highlighted, which focuses attention to the need for participants to have prior knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibility in the process of mentoring relationship building. A mentoring relationship building framework is derived, which illustrates the interrelated roles of the mentor and mentee as they build their mentoring relationships over time through the phases of the mentoring process. These contributions and insight may inform future practice and scheme implementation within organisations and provide opportunities for further research.