Mentoring for entrepreneurs: a boost or a crutch? Long-term effect of mentoring on self-efficacy

This study focuses on whether a mentor can facilitate the development of entrepreneurial self-efficacy particularly with regard to opportunity recognition (ESE-OR) for novice entrepreneurs and whether their level of learning goal orientation (LGO) has a moderating effect. Based on a sample of 219 mentees and a longitudinal follow-up for 106 of these respondents, the results show that mentoring supports the development of ESE-OR, but only for low LGO mentees. Furthermore, the effect of mentoring on ESE-OR for low LGO mentees is ephemeral as it decreases once the relationship ends. This suggests the need for long-term support in order to maintain their ESE-OR high throughout the entrepreneurial endeavour. At the opposite end, high-LGO mentees see their ESE-OR slightly decline in an intense mentoring relationship suggesting that mentoring helps to adjust ESE-OR to a more appropriate level for novice entrepreneurs. © The Author(s) 2020