For my blog post this week, I was fascinated by the idea of the growth of immigration in Europe. There is much debate on immigration here in the United States, so it was interesting to learn about it from a different perspective. Immigration to Europe, mostly from Africa, the Middle East and Turkey, has been on the rise thanks to regulations and job opportunities (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Just like here in the United States, immigration can be seen in both a positive and negative light. While immigrants may help to bring new labor, they also add to tensions in cultural identity (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Often there are two ways of dealing with this new influx of immigrants, either through integration or exclusion (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014).
Therefore, in light of the increase in immigration, I chose to focus specifically on tips and guidelines for conducting business for a new immigrant arriving in either France or Italy. When having a conversation with a French person, the conversation may contain interruptions and is intended to inform and discuss (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Business is often conducted over meals, as food is important to the French (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Finally, privacy, neatness, and good taste are all important to the French (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Italy is a very relationship oriented country and it would be helpful from the start to form a good relationship by asking questions and building trust (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Business people in Italy are very good multitaskers who will often be seen signing papers and taking a phone call all while conducting a meeting (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014). Finally, in Italy it is important to dress your best and be patient and flexible (Moran, Abramson, and Moran, 2014).
Works Cited
Moran, R.T., Abramson, N. R. & Moran, S.V. (2014). Managing Cultural Differences. Ninth Edition. Abingdon: Routledge.