Mentor’s Interest in Mentoring Entrepreneurs:Antecedents and Consequences

Mentors are vital in the development of entrepreneurship, yet their perspective is undermined in research and not much is known about the antecedents and consequences of their interest in mentoring, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors that are responsible for the mentoring intentions of mentors. This study explores the predictors and mediators of mentoring intentions through survey, based on the responses of existing mentors engaged in the mentoring of entrepreneurs. The results are analyzed using the Partial Least Square—Structural Equation Modeling, a combination of both substantiates the findings of exploratory study well. The findings of this study showed that there is a need to understand the mentoring intentions of the mentors in entrepreneurship, wherein findings revealed that mentors are affected by their own commitment and motivation. Additionally, the study investigated the role of rewards and entry-barriers to mentoring and found that both are crucial in explaining the interest in mentors. The pattern found in this research describes a new approach to look at the mentors in entrepreneurship and for this reason more research and validation is required to confirm the findings of this research in developing as well as developed countries. The present research has implication in recruitment, hiring, training and retention of mentors, particularly in framing the entrepreneurship development programs. Moreover, the inclusion of rewards provides encouragement to existing and potential mentors to undertake mentoring. This study is first of its kind that reviews the antecedents and consequences of mentoring interest for entrepreneurial mentors, especially in context of India.