Leadership has been a foundational component of any society, religion, culture, and human development. The purpose of this study was six fold: to examine the concept of leadership in Muslim communities in America, to observe the first-generation Muslim Americans’ perception of Muslim leadership in mosques and community centers, to examine the practice and beliefs of Muslims in America, to view the social interaction of American Muslims within their community, to view the mentorship and leadership aspects of first-generation Muslim Americans in their community, and to inspect the marriage and cultural aspects that are practiced by first-generation Muslim Americans. This study was conducted through a qualitative case study of 15 first-generation Muslim American college students and professionals from around the United States. The participants’ responses and the literature suggest that Islamic leadership has failed in America for the first- and second-generation American Muslims. Four themes emerged as relevant to the participants’ identity formation in the Islamic leadership in America: promoting Muslim youth to the leadership positions in Islamic centers, marriages in the Muslim community, mentoring Muslim youth to pursue higher education, and adapting to the new lifestyle of a Muslim American living in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to explore the concept of mentoring amongst administrative women in higher education from an appreciative perspective. In 1985, Kathy Kram published her book on mentoring entitled, Mentoring at Work. This seminal work provided an initial body of knowledge that helped scholars conceptualize mentoring and encouraged a proliferation of research, in what was then an emerging topic for academic inquiry. However, twenty years after Kram advanced her understandings of mentoring, Chandler and Kram (2005) reported that [t]o date, multiple definitions of a mentor have been advanced, but researchers in the field have not unconditionally accepted any specific one (p. 5).<p> Mentoring has suffered from a lack of definitional and conceptual clarity. This lack of clarity has hampered research efforts and rendered research vulnerable to criticism. This lack of clarity has also made implementation of mentoring programs difficult with respect to whom or what exactly is providing the benefit.<p> This study explored the concept of mentoring through focus groups with administrative women in higher education. The study was conducted within a qualitative paradigm, adapting elements from the work on grounded theory by Corbin and Strauss (2008). Focus groups were used to gather the data, with the questions based on the appreciative inquiry method. The worldview underlying the methodological orientation and study design is best described as constructionist. A constructionist worldview assumes that knowledge is constructed as persons explain or try to make sense of their experiences in the context of conversing with others.<p> I anticipated the findings of this study would be significant to mentoring research in three ways. In the study, I addressed the lack of definitional and conceptual clarity of mentoring that have presented academic and practical challenges; I employed a methodological orientation and study design that focused on understanding the participants recollected experiences of relationships that have worked; and the population of interest (administrative women in higher education) was one that had been understudied in mentoring research.<p> In addition to my academic interest in mentoring I was intrigued by the myth behind mentoring. References to the mythical figure, Mentor, in Homers Odyssey abound and yet two important points about Mentor have gone largely unnoticed. First Mentor was actually a woman. Mentor was Athena. That Mentor embodied both male and female characteristics may be interpreted to suggest that features of both sexes are necessary to mentoring. The second point is that Mentor was only one of the disguises Athena wore in order to provide advice and guidance to Odysseus, Penelope, and Telemachus. The second point may be interpreted to suggest that it takes more than one kind of person or relationship to provide the full range of support that an individual requires over the course of their career. It was my hope that this study would help reconcile the myth of Mentor with the reality of mentoring.

British Columbia's Ministry of Education has established fundamental policy standards for teacher practice. These standards ensure the safety and well-being of school children and youth. My study explores the lived realities of novice and experienced teachers focusing on the quantity and quality of their university training and their preparedness to implement standards. Participants' stories reveal vast differences in teacher training institutions curricula, practicums, and overall quality of education. However, there is one similarity; there is a general lack of training in relation to bullying, classroom management, and teaching strategies. Interestingly, teachers have been requesting training in these areas for decades. I contend that there is a gap between ministry policy and teacher training institutions' curriculum development. Thus, teachers graduate without the necessary skills to implement the government's teaching standards, especially in relation to student safety in school. I present practical recommendations for teacher training curriculum development, and I emphasize the importance of a mentorship program for novice teachers to ensure best practice and job satisfaction.

Poster presentation from the Living the Future 7 Conference, April 30-May 3, 2008, University of Arizona Libraries, Tucson, AZ. / WE (Wellness Education) Search is a mentorship program that focuses on consumer health information resource development and education for teens and their surrounding communities, as well as hands-on exposure to health sciences librarianship. It is a collaboration between health sciences information professionals, Knowledge River Scholars from the School of Information Resources and Library Science at the University of Arizona, and Sunnyside High School in Tucson, Arizona. Six Knowledge River mentors and twelve Sunnyside High School students develop and provide consumer health information services to teachers, students, and the Tucson community. These services include creating awareness of resources through outreach programs, presentations, school events, and community events. The Knowledge River mentors provide instruction in information resource skills and career development to the students in the WE Search program. The students are empowered through active involvement in the planning and implementation of programs, presentations, and events. The poster provides a comprehensive look at the WE Search program through four modules which increase awareness of consumer health information resources. This poster will be an opportunity to share the findings and outcomes of a collaborative program that strives to bridge the consumer health information gap.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-190). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR29609

Submitted by Tatiana Lima (tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2015-05-11T16:35:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Rocha, Anderson Fabiano Rocha.pdf: 6146282 bytes, checksum: 3371cf5333dac88e51e1ce766b5d0857 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Tatiana Lima (tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2015-05-11T16:35:45Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Rocha, Anderson Fabiano Rocha.pdf: 6146282 bytes, checksum: 3371cf5333dac88e51e1ce766b5d0857 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-11T16:35:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rocha, Anderson Fabiano Rocha.pdf: 6146282 bytes, checksum: 3371cf5333dac88e51e1ce766b5d0857 (MD5) / O objetivo deste estudo é relatar e analisar a experiência do processo de implantação do Programa Manter Petrobras na UO-SEAL, sendo uma das ações de Gestão do Conhecimento definidas pelo RH/GC da Companhia. O fator motivador constitui uma ação estratégica de ampliação da capacidade competitiva e de sustentabilidade do negócio, tendo em vista um mercado extremamente dinâmico, inovador e de grande competitividade. Outros fatores também motivaram o desenvolvimento deste trabalho, o elevado número de empregados com tempo de aposentadoria, os desligamentos de empregados, o retrabalho e a busca pela rápida tomada de decisão contribuindo para o aprendizado organizacional, garantindo a continuidade e geração de novos negócios. O compartilhamento do conhecimento em suas diversas áreas, principalmente naquelas reconhecidas como estratégicas e de diferencial competitivo, são carentes de ações sistematizadas que garantam a qualidade do conhecimento transmitido e a sua utilização dentro dos sistemas organizacionais. A aprendizagem organizacional tomada como base foi na Teoria da criação do conhecimento, onde se trabalhou a dimensão epistemológica (conhecimento explícito e tácito) e ontológica (criação individual do conhecimento), peças chave para o modelo SECI. Através do Programa Mentor, buscou-se o alcance dos objetivos. A abordagem utilizada foi a qualitativa, baseando-se no método de pesquisa-ação, tendo por conta o modo cooperativo e participativo, a visão de transformar o social, gerando um resultado, também pela interação e capacitação dos participantes (treinamentos e reuniões). O público alvo foram empregados de cargos júniors com até 3 anos de empresa, aqueles aposentáveis (para os próximos 3 anos) e aqueles aposentados mas ainda na ativa, reconhecidos pelo seu saber técnico. O período compreendeu os anos de 2011 a 2013. Buscaram-se com base no Programa Piloto implantado na UO-RNCE, as melhores práticas e lições aprendidas, minimizando assim as dificuldades e maximizando os ganhos. Este estudo demonstrou resultados positivos, tanto em termos de produto final como pelos próprios integrantes e, suas respectivas gerências, culminando na realização do 1º Encontro de Mentores da UO-SEAL, onde foram apresentados os produtos finais de cada plano de mentoria. / The objective of this study is to describe and analyze the experiment of the process of implantation of of the Mentor Program Petrobras UO-SEAL, The motivating factor is a strategic move to expand the capacity - competitive and sustainable business, with a view dynamic, innovative and highly competitive extremely a market. Other factors also motivated the development of this work, the high number of employees with time to apo - rement, the employee terminations, rework and the quest for rapid decision-making contributes to organizational learning, ensuring continuity and generating new business. The sharing of knowledge in diverse areas - will, especially those recognized as strategic and competi -tive advantage, are lacking of systematic actions that ensure the quality of knowledge imparted and its use within the organizational systems. Organizational learning was taken as a basis in the theory of knowledge creation, where it worked the epistemological dimension (explicit and tacit knowledge) and ontological (individual knowledge creation), key pieces to the SECI model. Through the Mentor Program, we sought to achieve the goals. The used approach was qualitative, based on the method of action research, by taking account of the mo - co-operative and participatory vision of transforming the social, generating a result, also by the interaction of the participants and training (training and meetings). The target pub- PUBLIC employees were junior positions with up to 3 years from now, those retired (for the next 3 years) and those retired but still active, recog-lished by his technical knowledge. The period comprised the years 2011-2013. Searching themselves to be based on the Pilot Program implemented in UO- RNCE, best practices and lessons learned, thus minimizing the difficulties and maximizing gains. This study showed positive results, both in terms of final product as members and their respective managements for themselves, culminating in the holding of the 1st Meeting UO-SEAL Mentors, where the final products of each mentoring plan were presented.

Magister Commercii - MCom / How entrepreneurs learn to cope and survive in the South African clothing sector, with its high levels of macro-environment turbulence, may engender particular lessons for entrepreneurial learning and related outcomes such as business innovation. Although SME support measures worldwide offer mentorship to assist firm survival and growth, little is known about how entrepreneurs learn under the guidance of a mentor. Formal mentorship is employed with increased frequency as a training intervention suited to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial learning is linked to experiential learning in the personal development of the entrepreneur and development of the business venture. Formal mentorship as a medium to enhance entrepreneurial learning is the focus of this study. Past research does not adequately address entrepreneurial learning in the context of prolonged turbulent competitive environments, and the role of formal mentorship as a significant contributor to entrepreneurial learning. This qualitative case study is set within the clothing industry of the Western Cape, which is affected by high levels of competitive turbulence. Entrepreneurs and their mentor's accounts are collected through unstructured and semi-structured personal interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The mentors are contracted to an organisation that provides business development support to SMEs within the clothing sector. Key participants within this organisation, and their sponsor, are interviewed to study strategic influences on formal mentorship. This constitutes the case and a purposive-snowball sampling strategy was employed. The research shows how strategic sponsorship agreements influence the functions and roles that mentors adopt within a top-down approach to mentoring. While formal mentorship provides a valuable intervention as a training mechanism in the SME sector, a propensity for technically driven mentoring outcomes is specific to the clothing industry case. While entrepreneurial learning is associated with formal mentorship, it does not necessarily influence business innovation. / Davies, C. (2017). Formal mentorship and entrepreneurial learning: The case of a support programme in the Western Cape clothing sector. Masters' thesis. University of the Western Cape

This study represents a shift in focus with regard to studies related to mentorship. It endeavours to go beyond documenting the prevalence of mentorship to understanding the experiences of mentors and factors that encourage participation in mentorship programmes. The purpose of this study was to describe and understand the experiences of mentors during the implementation of a mentorship programme at a Higher Education Institution (HEI). The purpose of this study, has guided the following two questions for the current study: <ul> <li> How do mentors experience the implementation of a mentorship programme?</li> <li> How can the understanding of such experiences inform theory on mentorship programmes in Higher Education Institutions?</li> </ul> I made use of a case study research design. Four participants were purposively selected for this study based on their potential to provide data relevant for the study as they were part of the recently ended mentorship programme. Data was collected over a period of a week by means of semi-structured interviews and reflections. In this study I made use of qualitative approach, and a thematic method of analysis was used for identifying, analysing and reporting themes. The results of the study indicated the following results: <ul> <li> Mentors had a general definition of their mentorship experiences as personal life event(s).</li> <li> When mentorship was viewed as a personal life event, it was found to have an emotional aspect which creates a platform for learning and development.</li> <li> Positive experiences, as mentioned by participants in this study, included an opportunity for personal growth and development, how mentors and mentees benefited from being part of the mentorship programme, and positive relationships between mentors and their mentees.</li> <li> Negative experiences referred to by participants included difficulties of correspondence between mentors and mentees, lack of mentee attendance at mentorship meetings, gender and racial issues and mentors' uncertainties about what to do in the programme and feeling a lack of guidance.</li> <li> Decisions regarding exclusion and inclusion criteria of mentees into the programme, support from mentorship supervisors and finding mentors who demonstrate good qualities were identified as challenges in mentorship implementation.</li> </ul> / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

Magister Commercii - MCom / How entrepreneurs learn to cope and survive in the South African clothing sector, with its high levels of macro-environment turbulence, may engender particular lessons for entrepreneurial learning and related outcomes such as business innovation. Although SME support measures worldwide offer mentorship to assist firm survival and growth, little is known about how entrepreneurs learn under the guidance of a mentor. Formal mentorship is employed with increased frequency as a training intervention suited to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial learning is linked to experiential learning in the personal development of the entrepreneur and development of the business venture. Formal mentorship as a medium to enhance entrepreneurial learning is the focus of this study. Past research does not adequately address entrepreneurial learning in the context of prolonged turbulent competitive environments, and the role of formal mentorship as a significant contributor to entrepreneurial learning. This qualitative case study is set within the clothing industry of the Western Cape, which is affected by high levels of competitive turbulence. Entrepreneurs and their mentor’s accounts are collected through unstructured and semi-structured personal interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. The mentors are contracted to an organisation that provides business development support to SMEs within the clothing sector. Key participants within this organisation, and their sponsor, are interviewed to study strategic influences on formal mentorship. This constitutes the case and a purposive-snowball sampling strategy was employed. The research shows how strategic sponsorship agreements influence the functions and roles that mentors adopt within a top-down approach to mentoring. While formal mentorship provides a valuable intervention as a training mechanism in the SME sector, a propensity for technically driven mentoring outcomes is specific to the clothing industry case. While entrepreneurial learning is associated with formal mentorship, it does not necessarily influence business innovation.

The link between entrepreneurship and economic growth is well-established. Incubators aim to stimulate entrepreneurship, and one of the factors which contributes to effective incubation is networking. Previous research on the role of networking in entrepreneurship has not focused on how incubatees experience the incubator managers’ networking skills and how these skills contribute to the performance of the incubatees’ ventures while in incubation. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the contribution of the networking skills of government-funded incubator managers, as perceived by incubatees, to effective incubation. Networking skills were defined as the provision of access by incubator managers to their networks, to incubatees, as well as the facilitation of collaboration by incubator managers between their networks and incubatees. A quantitative study was performed, using a questionnaire to determine incubatees’ perceptions of the various networking skills of the relevant incubator managers, as well as the incubatees’ growth in sales. The population of the study consisted of 565 incubatees currently in incubation at government-funded incubators in South Africa who had access to the questionnaire, and a response rate of 18.4% was realised. The results indicated highly significant correlations, at the 1% level of significance between the networking skills of government-funded incubator managers, as perceived by incubatees, and effective incubation. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted