Date of Graduation

2003

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

Committee Chair

Kelly S. Bricker

Abstract

The outcomes of mentor relationships have been well-documented in both business and mentoring literature. In many research studies authors have suggested that there are benefits that can be afforded to the mentor, protégé, and the organization. However, the literature is scarce when it comes to the effects of mentoring on professionals in the field of parks and recreation. The purposes of this study was to examine an informal mentoring relationship that was occurring among individuals in the Cleveland Metroparks and to compare informally mentored and non-mentored individuals on the selected outcomes of organizational socialization, job satisfaction, job motivation, career planning activities, perception of relationship with peers, and number of memberships in professional societies. The study took place at the Cleveland Metroparks, a large midwestern park district that employs both full and part time employees of varying occupations. A total of 221 participants were chosen at random, 124 useable questionnaires were received resulting in a 58% response rate. Participants were sent a questionnaire via inter-office mail and follow-up letters. Overall results showed mentored individuals scored higher on one scale of organizational socialization, job satisfaction, and relationship with peers. Further analysis found the informal relationships occurring in this park district were similar to one’s found in business and mentoring research. The results of this study indicate that there are benefits that are achieved by being involved in a mentoring relationship and that these relationships can have positive effects on both professionals and organizations in parks and recreation.

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