ITALY

HAND gESTURES

• Talking with your hands
• Nonverbal communication

INDIVIDUALISM VS. COLLECTIVISM

• High individualism
• Me-centered
• Individual goals
• All about appearance

EGALITARIANISM VS. HIERARCHY

• Hierarchy society
• Age and power are very influential
• When introduced elders and women are greeted first

FUN FACT 1.0

• Ferrari, Gucci, and Prada
• Greet Women and Elderly first

ASSERTIVENESS

• Very assertive culture
• Extremely open about conflicts
• Often interpret each other

PERFORMANCE ORIENTATION

• Low performance orientation
• Emphasize relationships rather than results
• Very relaxed view of time

FUN FACT 2.0

• Customary gifts
• Flowers must be given in even numbers

FUTURE ORIENTATION

• Low future orientation
• Focuses on the near future
• Rarely discuss long term strategies
• Come to decisions very slowly

HUMANE ORIENTATION

• Low humane orientation
• Huge on nonverbal communication
• Shaking hands is very influential

FUN FACT 3.0

• Respect elders
• No “Yo mama” jokes

UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE

• Strong fear on uncertain situations due to history of wars.
• Avoid talking about religion, politics, and WWII
• Slow to trust people they are unfamiliar with

GENDER EGALITARIANISM

• Low gender egalitarianism
• Unusual for women to be high ranking in business
• Women’s dress

FUN FACT 4.0

• Two different business cards are used:
• Formal interactions
• Informal interactions
• Gift giving with logos

SOURCES.

• Priest, Matt. “Italy Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners.” Italy - Italian Business Etiquette, Vital Manners, Cross Cultural Communication, and Geert Hofstede Analysis, 2015, www.cyborlink.com/besite/italy.htm.
• Capuano, Marco. “Challenges of Doing Business in Italy.” La Gazzetta Italian, July 2011, www.lagazzettaitaliana.com/region-of-italy/7661-challenges-of-doing-busines...
• Today Tranlations and Business Services Limited. Doing Business in Italy. 07 February 2018. .
• “Italy Business Etiquette, Culture, & Manners.” Italy - Italian Business Etiquette, Vital Manners, Cross Cultural Communication, and Geert Hofstede Analysis, www.cyborlink.com/besite/italy.htm.