This study sought to advance current mentoring research by examining the development and maintenance of exemplary formal mentoring programs in the nation's top performing companies. The ADDIE model of instructional systems design, which incorporates five steps from needs analysis to evaluation, formed the conceptual framework guiding the study.…

Theories of situated learning and distributed cognition are used to support emerging relationships between learning and working. The nature of work evolves from being predictable and deterministic to being more contingent and idiosyncratic. Models of employee development are examined. (Author/JOW)