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Social Learning Theory (SLT) proposes that one way learning can occur is vicariously, through the observation of behaviours in others, referred to as role models (Bandura, 1977, as cited in Scherer and colleagues, 1989). Adapting the principles of SLT to entrepreneurial role models in the form of mentors would indicate that individuals having greater exposure to other entrepreneurs are more likely to engage in entrepreneurial ventures and activities (Schaver and Scott, 1991). Mentors typically support entrepreneurs as they start and grow their businesses by giving expert help and assistance in problem solving, influencing behavioural and attitudinal change (Sullivan, 2000).

A mentor‘s role can be strategic, developmental, calling attention to specific events or critical incidents that have occurred in the history of the business and relating them to the present circumstances. Cope and Watts (2000) refers to it as ―bringing forward‖ the experience of the entrepreneur. Gibb (1997) termed this ‗generative‘ learning, described as

―reflecting on the vision, performance, and capability of the business and the ways in which new threats and opportunities impact upon it‖.

Mentoring in the context of support to novice entrepreneurs has been defined as a protected relationship between a veteran and a newcomer in which learning and experimentation can take place, guidance is provided, and new skills can be developed in the pursuit of personal goals and business success (Graham and O‘Neill, 1997). In addition to experienced entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial mentors may also appear in the form of other family members, employers, teachers, or anyone whom the individual has had an opportunity to observe (Sexton and Smilor, 1986). Indeed, private sector partnerships for mentoring have been described as one of the determinants of success in new venture creation.

Doyle and O‘Neill (2001) in their studies distinguished between mentoring entrepreneurs from the mentoring that takes place in the context of larger organizations. The findings of the study showed that mentoring in the context of larger organizations helped to reduce feelings of isolation, assist the business in meeting its goals, and help to fill a knowledge or skill gap.

For women, the role of mentors as role models was particularly significant. The importance of a role model to women entrepreneurs was seen as someone who has achieved goals to

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which they may be aspiring and is a source of strategies for both success and survival—is critical to the career development of women.

Bosna, Hessels,Schutjens,Praag and Verhuel (2011) carried out a study on entrepreneurship and role models in three major Dutch cities. The objective of the study was to examine the importance of role models for nascent entrepreneurs. A representative sample of two hundred and ninety-two entrepreneurs was chosen and administered questionnaires to. The entrepreneurs were those that recently started up business in retail, hotel and restaurants sectors, business services and other services. The study provided indications of the presence and importance of entrepreneurial role models, the function of these role models, the similarity between the entrepreneur and the role model, and the strength of their relationship.

According to the authors, ‗weak ties‘ and ‗strong ties‘ perform distinct functions in the decision to start up a business. About forty percent of the role models mentioned by entrepreneurs in their sample can be characterized as strong ties. Twenty-two percent is a relative (parent or other family), and nineteen percent of all role models originates from a group of friends. Interestingly, only twenty-five percent of all role models mentioned by entrepreneurs with entrepreneurial parents come from within the family. One third of the role models were former employers or former colleagues. The remaining role models form a miscellaneous group, consisting of former fellow student, professional contacts and people from personal networks. The study concluded that role models are increasingly seen as important for determining career choice and outcomes, educational institutes around the globe more and more involve ‗icon‘ entrepreneurs in their educational programs to motivate, inspire and support entrepreneurship among pupils and students. These findings suggest that role models play an important role for entrepreneurs in (young) firms. The dominant function of a role model is ‗learning by example‘, although ‗learning by support‘ is also increasing.

Holanka,Miva and Marcin (2013) carried research among two hundred and seven university students with different study programmes at university in Slovakia.. The objective of the study was to analyse the roles family entrepreneurial role-models play in determining students‘ preferences towards entrepreneurship. The aim was also was to find how intentions to become an entrepreneur differ between students having an entrepreneur in their close family and students with no entrepreneurial role model between their relatives. The study

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applied both descriptive statistics and relevant sample testing procedures. The findings of the study showed that students with family entrepreneurial role models show significantly higher intention to become an entrepreneur than those without.

Additionally, many of the functions of the mentor relationship may increase entrepreneurial self-efficacy, such as sponsorship, coaching, access to challenging work assignments, and access to important informal social networks through which information and new opportunities are exchanged (Kram, 1983). These aspects of mentoring have the important impact of providing a road map to women as they are navigating their careers.

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Women entrepreneurs often come together in forming an association in order to benefit, maintain, and ensure continuity of economic transactions. To support many of the women informal enterprises, women usually established informal financial networks to provide a surprisingly wide range of financial services that is not available from the formal financial sector due to a variety of legal and cultural barriers. The assistance of women trade associations covers a wide spectrum of activities encompassing credit, business skills training, technical and technology training, employment creation, marketing services, legal assistance, psychological counseling, and some social welfare programs.

For examples, some organizations, like the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, specialize in providing microcredit. The New York-based Women‘s World Bank offers business training and credit. Others, such as National association of Business women (NABW) in Malawi and Nepal‘s Women entrepreneurs association of Nepal (WEAN) take a more holistic approach, addressing countrywide problems such as hunger and lack of health care, in addition to credit, education, and business resources.

Business opportunity (2004) in Canada reported that women entrepreneurs often face a disproportionately challenging set of obstacles, such as access to timely and sufficient capital for business development. In order to remove these obstacles and generate better opportunities for private sector opportunities among women, the associations usually make funds available for women. The fund was normally given out with flexible lending criteria such as; lack of collateral and lack of equity. The fund greatly helped improving access of women entrepreneurs to financing for business start-up and expansion

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However, this is not so in Pakistan. Tambunan (2009) succinctly stated that despite the Pakistan stronger social ties, and the fact that women entrepreneurs recognized the need for working together; only two women‘s business associations have been formally licensed to operate. The scholar argued that in the absence of effective business associations, women lack the opportunities for advocating change, networking, and training. Moreover, in Pakistan low literacy rate among women complicates the situation further by reducing their access to information – which is already scarce.

Marcellina et. al (2002) stated that in Ethiopia, association of women entrepreneurs is relatively a new phenomenon. Those in existence are mainly young organizations and they appear not to be very strong and do not meet the full range of needs of women entrepreneurs.

Membership levels are few, as some of the women do not feel that there would be any real benefits from joining. Women have fewer business contacts, less knowledge of how to deal with the governmental bureaucracy and less bargaining power, all of which further limit their growth. Since most women entrepreneurs operate on a small scale, and are generally not members of professional organizations or part of other networks, they often find it difficult to access information. Most existing networks are male dominated and sometimes not particularly welcoming to women but prefer to be exclusive. Even when a woman does venture into these networks, her task is often difficult because most network activities take place after regular working hours. There are hardly any women-only or women-majority networks where a woman could enter, gain confidence, and move further. Lack of networks also deprives women of awareness and exposure to good role model.

Ucbasaran (2008) argues that women entrepreneurs are always invited to join trade missions or delegations. Nevertheless, part of the reason for women‘s organizational invisibility is the difficulty of finding sufficient time to attend meetings as well as manage their families.

However, business associations rarely consider such needs when scheduling meetings, and few business conferences or trade fairs provide childcare or children‘s programmes in order to facilitate the participation of businesswomen.

In a study by Women Global Mission (2009), surveys reveal strong opinions from women entrepreneurs on what their associations should do to help grow their businesses. Most participants indicated that they needed some form of assistance. When asked what kind of specific assistance they wanted their associations to supply, entrepreneurs responded with a broad array of suggestions, such as: Technology (members need hardware, software, and

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training; the most frequent request is access to the Internet), International trade training, International linkages via trade shows and trade missions, Business plan development, Market identification, partner identification, strategic alliance identification. Others include:

Negotiation assistance, Industry information, trends, niches Contacts for sources of credit, letters of credit, finance counseling, Mentoring and professional peer counseling, Skill development in operations, management, and marketing. Advocacy (understanding what it is and how to implement it) Legislative pressure techniques, Policymaking assistance

In Ghana, an association known as Women Entrepreneurs (GAWE) was established. Most members own micro and small enterprises (MSEs).GAWE and similar women‘s business associations increase the local visibility and sense of community based upon women‘s business development in Africa, providing a space to exchange lesson learned from starting, running and growing businesses. In turn, these organizations also serve as breeding grounds for locally led approaches to development (Jackson, 2009)