Handelwijzen

Handelwijzen is the plural of handelwijze, a Dutch term that refers to the manner or method by which someone conducts dealings, transactions, or activities. The concept is used across verschillende domains to describe standard practices, approaches, or patterns of behavior in trade, commerce, negotiation, and organizational operations. Handelwijzen can be formalized in company policy or market norms, or observed as customary ways of acting.

The word combines handel (trade, dealing) with wijze (manner, way), emphasizing procedural or strategic aspects of acting rather than isolated actions. In business and commerce, handelwijzen describe how products are marketed, sold, and distributed—such as direct sales, via intermediaries, or online platforms—and how pricing, contracts, and credit terms are approached.

In criminology and law, handelwijze is commonly used to denote a suspect’s or organization’s modus operandi—the recurring pattern, techniques, and timing used to commit a crime or execute a scheme. In administration and policy contexts, it may refer to standard operating procedures or typical approaches to problem-solving and governance.

Because the term is broad, its precise meaning is often clarified by context or paired with a descriptor (for example, legitimate handelwijze, marketing-handelswijze, criminale handelwijze). See also modus operandi, werkwijze, bedrijfsvoering.