Mentoring and Technology: an Exploratory Study of E-mentoring

This paper investigates the application of new technologies in the innovative learning techniques as mentoring programs. In particular, the internet promotes the application of specific e-mentoring programs. Mentoring relationships are important instruments for the development of people in the organizational environment. Technology can affect men-toring relationships thanks to computer-mediated-communication (CMC). This paper seeks to examine the implementation of new technologies in the learning and training processes within the tourism industry showing advantages and challenges of e-mentoring programs with a case study, the project "Donne in proprio nel turismo" in Italy. In particular, we focus on the learning process supported by new and innovative e-mentoring pro-grams. The findings evidence that positive effects of e-mentoring programs are greater than negative aspects. Hence, this study shows that the adoption of e-mentoring programs is an effective solution because it is possible to overcome geographic, demographic and time boundaries, that are specific, frequent and strong characteristics in the tourism industry.