Serving by selling : the exploration and explanation of commercial activity and social entrepreneurialism among local service clubs in the Netherlands

The aim of this study is to answer the following main research question: To what extent did local Rotary & Lions clubs in the Netherlands make us of commercial activity and set up social entrepreneurial projects in the period between 2010 up to 2015 and which variables explain these phenomena? In order to answer this question, theoretical insights were derived from a structured literature review regarding the following concepts: social entrepreneurship, non-profit funding and service clubs. These theoretical insights resulted in a theoretical framework. In its turn, this framework resulted into 11 hypotheses that were tested empirically. In order to obtain the data for this, a survey has been sent to 444 Rotary treasures and 435 Lions boards. The data obtained were analysed in a quantitative way by using SPSS.