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Doing Business with . . . . ITALY. Prepared by Crystal. ITALIAN CULTURE. ~ Italy is described as colorful, rich, bold, and romantic. ~ Italy has a population of over 58 million people. ~ Italians have a passion for everything they do.
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Doing Business with . . . ITALY Prepared by Crystal
ITALIAN CULTURE ~Italy is described as colorful, rich, bold, and romantic. ~Italy has a population of over 58 million people. ~Italians have a passion for everything they do. ~Italians love to laugh, talk loudly, and speak with hand gestures. ~Italians love their food, music and heritage.
FLAG REPRESENTATION • GREEN symbolizes hope • WHITE represents faith • RED symbolizes the bloodshed that brought about the independence of Italy Italy
Time Zone ITALY
Official Languages Spoken • Italian • German • French
Holidays Celebrated in Italy • Epiphany January 6 • Liberation Day April 25 • May Day May 1 • Festival of Republic June 2 • Ferragosto August 15 • All Saints Day November 2 • Immaculate Conception December 8 • Feast of St. Stephen December 26
When Doing Business in Italy “Good manners and courtesy are prized qualities in Italy” ~Kwintessentia Language and Culture Specialists
Five key factors that are helpful when conducting business in Italy
Greetings • When arriving and leaving, shake hands with everyone • Women may “kiss” good friend on either cheek (more like pressing the sides of each other’s face) • Italians are comfortable with standing very close. Don’t back away! This is interpreted as unfriendly.
Introduction • Don’t use first names unless invited • Use the title Man *Dottore *Signor Woman *Dottoressa *Signora
Meetings, Negotiations & Appointments • Italians prefer to do business with people they know • Best time for appointments are between 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. • Avoid August, due to Holidays • When writing a message, write it in Italian, if possible • A sense of urgency shows signs of weakness
Punctuality • Aim to be punctual • Deliberate lateness is considered sloppy • Taking people’s time for granted is simply rude
Entertaining • Hospitality plays a key role in Italian business culture • Invitations to lunch and dinner are expected • There are certain protocols for dining
Best source of transportation • Trains are by far the best way to travel around Italy.
Main Attraction The Leaning Tower of Pisa
Tourist Attractions Pasteum Cinque Terre Amalfi Coast Milan Firenze Tuscany Rome
References • Kwintessential Ltd, Kwintessential Language and Culture Specialists, Retrieved April 28, 2007. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing- business-ital.html • Life in Italy .com, Retrieved April 28, 2007. http://www.lifeinitaly.com.html • Rizza, Maria. Personal e-mail Interview, April 28, 2007- May 8, 2007. rowri@tin.it.