Itàlia: Entorn econòmic
New Year's Day | 1 January |
Epiphany | 6 January |
Easter Sunday and Monday | First Sunday after the first full moon of spring |
Liberation Day (National Holiday) | 25 April |
Workers' Day | 1 May |
Funding of the Republic | 2 June |
Assumption | 15 August |
All Saints | 1 November |
Immaculate Conception | 8 December |
Christmas and St. Stephen's Day | 25 and 26 December |
Summer Holidays | Second and third week of August |
Italian companies tend to have a pyramidal hierarchy. The decision-making process is generally centralised, with the persons positioned in the upper levels of the pyramid making the final decisions. Smaller businesses and start-ups may also opt for a flat hierarchy. In family-owned companies – even those of larger size – the decision-making power is concentrated in the hands of the family members. Power and age are respected.
In general, it is important to develop a personal relationship in order to establish a lasting and successful business relationship. Though always interested mainly in your product, service or project, in Italy personal relations can play a big role. As a result, always adhere to your verbal agreements: failing to follow through on a commitment may destroy a business relationship.
It is always preferable to back up your points with the appropriate data or documents (like statistics, legislation, etc.). Italians often do not hold back and it is common for them to express disagreement and display constructive conflict during meetings and negotiations. Negotiations are often lengthy (both because Italians tend to carefully evaluate advantages and risks, and because of the hierarchical decision-making process of Italian companies), so using high-pressure sales tactics is not recommended.
Communication may differ according to who you are dealing with and the type of relationship you have with your counterparts. However it can be said that Italians may appreciate the use of humour, as it facilitates openness in business and personal relations. It is common to be interrupted while speaking or for several people to speak at once. People often raise their voice to be heard over other speakers, however it is better not to use expressions that are too direct and not to raise your voice too much, although silence is also not appreciated. During negotiations, Italians give importance to verbal commitments and the final contract is certainly based on previous informal agreements. After a meeting, it is good practice to prepare minutes of the meeting with the conclusions and send them to your Italian partner for confirmation and mutual approval.
Being invited to a business lunch or dinner often indicates that the business relation has reached a higher grade of familiarity. Suppers can be very long (up to 3 hours). Follow the lead of the host – he/she sits at the table first, starts eating first, and is the first to get up at the end of the meal. The host gives the first toast. Drinking a small amount of wine is also common. According to Italian etiquette, the host always pays the bill. Though the person invited may offer to pay the bill, the host will usually decline.
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Actualitzacions: July 2024