Mentors’ Perspectives on National Culture and Mentoring in STEMM: An Exploratory Study Through Qualitative Interviews

• In Event: Mentoring in STEM

Abstract

National culture such as views on power distance may influence mentorships between a mentor and mentee from different cultures. The present study explores how participants with different views on power distance approach mentoring. Mentors from countries with greater and smaller power distance in an international online mentoring program were selected to participate in a semi-structured interview. Findings suggest that although participants did not view cultural differences as an important topic to discuss in their mentorship, power distance might have influenced how they approached mentoring, such as dyad decision-making, mentor seeking mentee’s opinions, mentee self-directed versus mentor providing directions. In addition, whether a mentor–mentee dyad matched in their views on power distance also influenced mentoring.

Authors

• Linlin Luo, Texas A&M University

• Laura Lunsford, National Science Foundation

• Heidrun Stoeger, University of Regensburg