The problem and the solution. Although they emphasize the importance of social relationships, the literatures on mentoring and social capital are largely independent. This article explores the connections between social capital and mentoring. After reviewing the limited literature in which social capital theory has been explicitly used in the study of mentoring, the authors discuss key concepts that appear in both literatures, including outcomes, bad relationships, trust, and information.They conclude with implications for the practice of human resource development (HRD), with particular attention paid to the role of mentoring in broader social networks, issues related to formal and informal mentoring, and creating cultures that foster the development of relationships. Their review reveals that the integration mentoring and social capital concepts offers great promise to enhance career and organization development initiatives.
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