The essays in this volume point to the need for reconstruction and further develop
ment of theories about the role of nonprofit institutions in the contemporary welfare
state. This epilogue reflects upon the implications of this challenge by examining
what it means to develop "theory" and some of the practical difficulties involved in
this task. Acknowledging that "theory" may mean different things to different peo
ple, scholars and practitioners alike, it discusses the different types, functions, and
evaluative criteria of theory. Recognizing that the area of nonprofit studies is a
relatively new area of intellectual inquiry, it suggests a number of distinctions and
needs that are relevant to future theoretical development in regard to better under
standing and prescribing roles for nonprofit institutions in our society.
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