ABSTRACT
The Independent Owner Managed Business (IOMB) is by far the commonest form of business activity throughout the world. This chapter explores certain distinctive characteristics of the IOMB deemed relevant to shaping opportunities for kind actions by owners and to a degree any staff of their organisation. It examines in more detail the kinds of actions that result and provides examples of actions and observations from a range of individual and focus group discussions with owners of independent businesses and other entities. The chapter explains the personal philosophies of the Owner Manager and how these are reflected in organisation culture and characteristics of the business model. It presents the relationship building and community engagement as key features of the environment in which the IOMB operates. Acts of kindness were debated in both a business relationship context and more widely in terms of community engagement.
