Memes are proposed as cultural equivalents to genes, and meme-based research (memetics) has been undertaken to examine cultural aspects of management and organization studies (MOS). However, variable operationalization of the meme concept for a fragmented range of research topics has hampered the development of a coherent memetic MOS discipline. In particular, there is a largely unrecognized dilemma regarding the ontological status of the meme because it is unclear if the concept represents a real cultural gene-like entity or a gene metaphor. This paper provides a fresh view of the applications of the meme in MOS and the degree to which fundamental meme theory supports the memetic endeavour for the field. The paper aims to improve the accessibility of memetics to MOS scholars, whose interests involve cultural phenomena, by summarizing the heterogeneity in the extant research and providing the basis for the next stage of the memetic MOS research programme. A conceptualization is provided to show how applications of the meme can be made, either as a real gene-like entity or a gene metaphor. Ideas are provided for how research can be conducted that will contribute to MOS and support evaluation of the ontological status of the meme.

中文翻译：

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用于管理和组织研究的基于模因的研究计划

模因被提议作为基因的文化等价物，并且已经开展了基于模因的研究（模因学）来检查管理和组织研究的文化方面（MOS）。然而，对于一系列分散的研究主题，模因概念的可变操作阻碍了连贯的模因 MOS 学科的发展。特别是，关于模因的本体论地位存在一个很大程度上未被认识到的困境，因为不清楚该概念是代表真正的文化基因样实体还是基因隐喻。本文提供了关于模因在 MOS 中的应用以及基本模因理论在多大程度上支持该领域的模因努力的全新观点。本文旨在通过总结现有研究中的异质性并为下阶段的模因MOS研究计划提供基础，提高模因学对涉及文化现象的MOS学者的可及性。提供了一个概念化来展示如何将 meme 应用为真正的类基因实体或基因隐喻。提供了有关如何进行研究的想法，这些研究将有助于 MOS 并支持对 meme 的本体论状态的评估。