Doing Business with Italians

As a first generation Italian, I was particularly interested in the cultural differences that exist when conducting business in Italy.  I was not surprised to learn that many of the values inherit to Italians also affect the way business is conducted. When dealing with any country outside of their own, business people must pay great attention to the cultural habits of the country they are dealing and Italy is no exception.  Here is a list of cultural differences that exist between America and Italy.

Punctuality

This explains a lot to me personally. Punctuality is not a priority for Italians.  When conducting business with Italians, be patient, expect delays, and be flexible.  Italians do not generally take work plans as absolute deadlines.  Italians tend to “multitask” and do many things at one which often shifts their priorities.  When dealing with an Italian partner or businessperson, communication in this area is of paramount importance.

Physical Contact

Italians are extremely social and naturally hospitable.  Physical contact such as a hug or pat are commonplace among men while kisses on the both cheeks is the traditional greeting among women.  Shaking hands on departure and arrival as a greeting is important particularly in business meetings.

Formality

Italians use formal names with a Sir or Lady- Signor or Signora– plus the last name when conducting business.  In addition, academic statuses, rankings and titles are all used during conversations.  First names are not permitted until there has been a long acquaintance.

Business Lunch

As a country known for its love of food, the business lunch in Italy should not come as a surprise.  Lunch after a successful meeting is a custom and can last up to three hours.  Italians like to spend this time discussing architecture, art, music, fashion, culture and customs, in other words, things other than just business. Keeping conversation relaxed is important but there are still land mines to avoid with Italian counterparts such as politics, religion, wars and mafia as locals can be extremely sensitive to these topics.

Business Dress Code

As Milan is one of the World’s four main centers of fashion, it should come as no surprise that dress and attire plays an important role in Italian culture.  Often, great care is taken when selecting clothing and accessories and formal attire is expected for business meetings.  Expect men to be dressed in darker colors with quality fabrics and women to wear elegant and modest pant or skirt suits accessorizing with tasteful jewelry and understated makeup.

Hierarchy

In Italian business culture as well as their social culture, hierarchy is highly valued and respected.  Managers often avoid socializing with others in an organizations which is why building working relationships during the day, and yes this includes the business lunch, is essential.

Emotions

Finally, remember that Italians are a boisterous bunch and are not afraid to express their emotions, even at work.  Meetings can sometimes appear to turn into heated debates.  It is important to view this from a perspective other than your own and consider this constructive conflict that will help everyone work more effectively and build stronger relationships of trust.

 

Sources:

Milicevic, M. (2018, July 11). How to Deal with Italians in a Business Meeting? Italics Magazine. https://italicsmag.com/2018/07/11/italians-business-meeting-etiquette/

Moran, R.T., Abramson, N.R., & Moran, S.V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences (9^th ed). Chapter 14. Routledge.