Economy

Italy has a diversified industrial economy with roughly the same total and per capita output as France and the UK. This capitalistic economy remains divided into a developed industrial north, dominated by private companies, and a less developed agricultural south, with 20% unemployment. Most raw materials needed by industry and more than 75% of energy requirements are imported. Over the past decade, Italy has pursued a tight fiscal policy in order to meet the requirements of the Economic and Monetary Unions and has benefited from lower interest and inflation rates. The current government has enacted numerous short-term reforms aimed at improving competitiveness and long-term growth. Rome has moved slowly, however, on implementing needed structural reforms, such as lightening the high tax burden and overhauling Italy's rigid labor market and over-generous pension system, because of the current economic slowdown and opposition from labor unions. From CIA Worldfact Book

Cultural Information

- Cultural achievement is Italy's greatest source of pride. Inventiveness, imagination, intelligence and education are prized. Personal relations are scrupulously maintained with loyalty highly valued, especially in families. The family is the most important affiliation in Italy.
- When being introduced during a business or social meeting, shake hands with everyone present -- men, women and children. Shake hands again when leaving.
- Ladies should extend their hand first to men.
- Friends may greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks.

- Maintain eye contact while talking. Otherwise Italians might think you are hiding something.
- To beckon a waiter or waitress raise your index finger and make eye contact.
- Italians are known for using the most body language of all European nations.
- Business entertainment is generally done at lunch or dinner in a restaurant.
Dinner entertainment is more of a social occasion to get to know people. Business discussions are usually very limited.
- If you invite, you pay for the meal.
- Business may be discussed at a breakfast meeting, but it is not common.
- Cocktails are not common in Italy. Drinking without eating is rare. Hard drinking is unusual and not appreciated. Even mild intoxication is considered ill-mannered. Women drink very little in Italy.
- At formal occasions, women generally do not propose toasts.
- Italians do not use bread plates. Break bread and place it next to your plate on the table.
- Ask for your check when you are finished eating. It may not be brought to you until you ask.
- Do not leave the table until everyone is finished.
- Roll pasta with your fork on the sides of your pasta plate. Don't roll pasta on your spoon.
- Keep both hands above the table during dinner -- never on your lap. Do not put your elbows on the table.
- Use your knife (not your fingers) to pick up pieces of cheese to put them on your bread or cracker.
- Eat fruit with a fruit knife and fork, except for grapes and cherries.
- When finished eating, place knife and fork (tines up) side by side on the plate at the 5:25 position. The fork should be on the left and the knife should be on the right with the blade of the knife facing the fork.
- Keep your wineglass almost full if you don't want a refill.
- Burping is considered extremely vulgar.
- When invited to a home, guests arrive 15 to 30 minutes after the stated time.
- Allow hostess to begin eating before guests.
- Wait for hostess to offer second helping.
- Italians are proud of their homes and love to give tours. Feel free to ask for a tour when invited into someone's home.

Resumes
Excerpted from the Italy Career Guide

The purpose of your resume is to present and highlight aspects of your education and experience which make you a good choice for the position.
- Start by giving your name, address, contact information, birth date and place, marital status, children and nationality. Then, under "Education," beginning with the most recent, list schools attended, from secondary through university, with their names, locations, dates of attendance, and your areas of emphasis, grades, and degrees. Describe briefly your extracurricular activities, awards/honors, and additional specialized training.
- "Employment History" starts with your most recent job. Give the name, location and focus of each company. Then list your job title(s), responsibilities, and dates of employment. Highlight relevant activities, such as international projects, team leadership, and budget development. Explain any gaps in employment. At the end of this section, list outstanding business-related accomplishments and special skills, especially knowledge of Italian, other languages and computer programs, and related military and volunteer service.
- According to Italian law 675/96, you must grant permission for the use of your personal data. Add a note citing this law, along with your signature, on the original resume.
- Enclose your resume with a handwritten cover letter. Unless directed otherwise, there is no need to enclose a photo or supplementary documents

Business Dress

- Women are advised to dress simply and with elegance. Accessorizing, which adds flair to even very simple outfits, is also widely practiced here.
- The most commonly worn colours are darker, subdued shades. Brighter colours should be reserved for accessories.
- Italian businesswomen sometimes wear more makeup and jewelry than American women.
- It is fashionable, especially in the summer, for women not to wear stockings.
- Perfumes and colognes are frequently used by both men and women.
- When you receive an invitation stating "informal" dress, don't assume that you'll be welcome arriving in a t-shirt and sweatpants. For a social gathering, informal more often than not means tastefully coordinated clothes, sometimes including a jacket and tie for men.
- An invitation stating "formal" dress usually means formal evening wear, which is very dressy by American standards.
- Shorts are unacceptable in public. Moreover, you may not be admitted into a church wearing shorts or even a sleeveless top.
- On the street, jeans and sneakers can be acceptable leisure wear, although this kind of clothing is often reserved for the gym or the beach.
- Summer and winter are the two main seasons in Italy. Summers can be hot and humid, especially in the south, while winters are damp and cool, particularly in the north. With the exception of the mountain regions, however, there is little snow.

Use last names and appropriate titles until specifically invited by your Italian host or colleagues to use their first names.
Females almost always use their maiden name, especially in business and on legal documents. They generally use their married names or a combination of their married names and maiden names outside of business.

Foreign women can do business without great difficulty in Italy. Being a woman may even be considered an advantage in some circumstances.
Only 38% of Italian women under 65 are in the labor market -- one of the lowest percentages in Western Europe. Few Italian women hold managerial positions.
The Italians are generally not inhibited when interacting with the opposite sex.

- Flirtation is part of the spirit of life in Italy.
- Do not pour wine if you are a guest. This is considered "unfeminine" by Italians.
Italians take punctuality for business meetings very seriously and expect that you will do likewise; call with an explanation if you are delayed. Deliberate lateness in business is viewed as sloppy.
- Business cards are used only in business, not socially, unless requested.
Business cards are exchanged only at the first meeting and should be handed to recipients, not tossed at them. Do not give a business card to the same person more than once.
Present a business card to each person attending a meeting.
When receiving a business card, look at the name and title carefully, then set it on the table in front of you or in your briefcase.
- English is quite common in business, but check ahead of time to find out if an interpreter is necessary.
- Generally, business discussions begin after a few minutes of small talk.
- Establish personal relationships with Italians. Italians like to deal with people they know and trust. They also tend to believe that work should not be a burden or taken too seriously.
Relationships must be profitable and mutually beneficial to gain total cooperation.
- Pragmatism and talent for improvisation are considered keys to success. Protocol, rules and organization are often ignored.
Negotiations usually take time and patience. Don't rush them. Italians may misinterpret this as a weakness.
- Italian companies are fast to identify and exploit a niche without doing an in-depth study. Strategic plans are rarely written and are never long term.
- Meeting style is unstructured and informal. Formal presentations are not common.
- Business decisions are often made and agreed to privately before meetings. The purpose of a meeting is often to evaluate the mood, sense support and test water -- not to make decisions.
- Meetings may be staged to exhibit eloquence, personality and status.
- Decisions that are made and agreed to may never be implemented.
- Do not call an Italian business person at home unless it is an emergency.

List of Italian Daily Newspapers - http://www.ciao-italy.com

Italian news in English, Italy Daily - http://www.italydaily.it/

Easy Milano - http://www.easymilano.it/ (free classified advertisements)

List of Italian Newspapers - www.onlinenewspapers.com/ italy.htm

The American University of Rome - www.aur.edu

Universita in Italia www2.unibo.it

Job search site for MBAs across the world - www.foreignmba.com

Italian Embassy in the US - www.italyemb.org

US Embassy in Italy - www.usembassy.it

American Chamber of Commerce in Italy - www.amcham.it/intro.html