Language Barriers to Meme Contagion: The Case of Entrepreneurship as a Concept in Iran

16 Pages Posted: 16 Jun 2008

See all articles by Mohammad Keyhani

Mohammad Keyhani

University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business

Saeed Jafari Moghadam

University of Tehran

Date Written: May 28, 2008

Abstract

This paper examines the story of how the idea of entrepreneurship is spreading as a concept in Iranian society. We argue that problems associated with the translation of the concept into the Persian language may have contributed to its late introduction to Iran and the current misunderstandings about the concept that are prevalent among Iranians, both among the public and in the government. We review the story in a historical perspective through available data and facts and also interviews with leading figures in the promotion of the concept of entrepreneurship in Iran. We also use the memetics approach of studying the conceptualization of entrepreneurship to understand its contagion patterns. Our study provides insights into a paradigm shift that is occurring in the way Iranians view entrepreneurship. Once the linguistic misunderstandings are settled, we find that the Persian word "karafarini" presents a new, highly positive, and Islam-friendly conceptualization of entrepreneurship for Iranians that makes it widely acceptable for them.

Keywords: Iran, Entrepreneurship Culture, Paradigm Shift, Memetics

JEL Classification: M13, R11, D83

Suggested Citation

Keyhani, Mohammad and Jafari Moghadam, Saeed, Language Barriers to Meme Contagion: The Case of Entrepreneurship as a Concept in Iran (May 28, 2008). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1145647 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1145647

Mohammad Keyhani (Contact Author)

University of Calgary - Haskayne School of Business ( email )

2500 University Drive, NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4
Canada

Saeed Jafari Moghadam

University of Tehran ( email )

Amirabad e shomali, kuye daneshgah e Tehran
Tehran, UT Tehran 5433174616
Iran

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