A genootschap is a specifically Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 form of company, association

Voluntary association

A voluntary association or union is a group of individuals who enter into an agreement as volunteers to form a body to accomplish a purpose.Strictly speaking, in many jurisdictions no formalities are necessary to start an association...

, society

Society

A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...

 or cooperative

Cooperative

A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...

, named after the pursuit for which its members gather.

Definition

Each member voluntarily joins his or her fate with that of his or her fellow members and that of the genootschap's ups and downs. Such a society also usually has a number of other characteristics :

• Size and composition: The number of members of a society is limited. A society can be sizeable, but it is never a mass association. Thus its intentions are decided only by its character.
• Objective: The target of a genootschap is always carried forward by its members with a certain degree of seriousness, as well as a great social aim. From this also results its solemn character and interest in decorum.

Kinds

• Discreet genootschap
• Geheim genootschap
• Initiatiegenootschap
• Wetenschappelijk genootschap

Examples

• Republikeins Genootschap
• Nieuw Republikeins Genootschap

• Koninklijk Nederlands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap
• Theosofisch Genootschap
• Russisch Geografisch Genootschap
• Met Tijd en Vlijt
• Kerlinga
• Genootschap Onze Taal
  Genootschap Onze Taal
  Genootschap Onze Taal is a Dutch society dedicated to the Dutch language. It was founded in 1931, initially to guard the language against what was seen as an invasion of germanisms....
  
  
• Theosofisch Genootschap Point Loma-Covina
• Koninklijk Nederlands Geologisch Mijnbouwkundig Genootschap
• Bataafs Genootschap voor Proefondervindelijke wijsbegeerte
• Thule Gesellschaft
• Genootschap Kunstliefde
• Actuarieel Genootschap
  Actuarieel Genootschap
  Founded in 1888, the Actuarial Society , is the professional association of actuaries in the Netherlands. Nearly all Dutch actuaries are members.-Composition:The Actuarial Society has five sections:# ASLI...
  
  
• Het Apostolisch Genootschap
• Genootschap der Vrienden
• Koninklijk Zeeuws Genootschap der Wetenschappen
• Theosofisch Genootschap Pasadena
• Louis Couperus Genootschap
• Nederlandsch Zendeling Genootschap
• Natuurhistorisch Genootschap Limburg