An article by Jim Laughlin from the Linkage, Inc. website:

Coaching and mentoring are undergoing transformation due to the new context within which they play out in many organizations. The demise of a world of more stable and homogeneous organizational environments has led to a reconception of traditional mentoring and a reemphasis on coaching. HR/OD practitioners embarking on mentoring and coaching initiatives may need to move beyond the narrow confines of traditional approaches.

Doing so requires an understanding of important changes in workplace realities. Some of the critical elements that comprise the new context for coaching and mentoring are identified in the full text of the article available online