Italy涉外礼仪意大利

ItalyFactsandStatisticsLocation:

SouthernEurope,borderingAustria430km,France488km,HolySee(VaticanCity)

3.2km,SanMarino39km,Slovenia232km,Switzerland740kmCapital:

RomeClimate:

predominantlyMediterranean;Alpineinfarnorth;hot,dryinsouthPopulation:

58,057,477(July2004est.)EthnicMake-up:Italian(includessmallclustersofGerman-,French-,andSlovene-Italiansinthenorth

andAlbanian-ItaliansandGreek-Italiansinthesouth)Religions:

predominatelyRomanCatholicwithmatureProtestantandJewishcommunitiesanda

growingMuslimimmigrantcommunityGovernment:

republic.

Thefamilyisthecentreofthesocialstructureandprovidesastabilizinginfluenceforitsmembers.

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Inthenorth,generallyonlythenuclearfamilylivestogether;whileinthesouth,theextendedfamilyoftenresidestogetherinonehouse.

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Thefamilyprovidesbothemotionalandfinancialsupporttoitsmembers.ItalianFamilyValuesItalianStyle.

AppearancesmatterinItaly.

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Thewayyoudresscanindicateyoursocialstatus,yourfamily'sbackground,andyoureducationlevel.

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FirstimpressionsarelastingimpressionsinItaly.

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Theconceptof'bellafigura'orgoodimageisimportanttoItalians.

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Theyunconsciouslyassessanotherperson'sageandsocialstandinginthefirstfewsecondsofmeetingthem,oftenbeforeanywordsareexchanged.

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ClothesareimportanttoItalians.

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Theyareextremelyfashionconsciousandjudgepeopleontheirappearance.

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Youwillbejudgedonyourclothes,shoes,accessoriesandthewayyoucarryyourself.

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Bellafiguraismorethandressingwell.Itextendstotheaurayourprojecttoo-i.e.confidence,style,demeanour,etc.Catholicism.

TheprimaryreligioninItalyisRomanCatholic.

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TherearemoreCatholicchurchespercapitainItalythaninanyothercountry.

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Althoughchurchattendanceisrelativelylow,theinfluenceofthechurchisstillhigh.

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Manyofficebuildingswillhaveacrossorareligiousstatueinthelobby.

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Eachdayoftheyearhasatleastonepatronsaintassociatedwithit.

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Childrenarenamedforaparticularsaintandcelebratetheirsaint'sdayasifitweretheirownbirthday.

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Eachtradeandprofessionhasapatronsaint.

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Thechurchpromulgateshierarchy,whichcanbeseeninallItalianrelationships.

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Theyrespectanddefertothosewhoareolder,thosewhohaveachievedalevelofbusinesssuccess,andthosewhocomefromwell-connectedfamiliesEtiquette&CustomsinItalyMeetingEtiquette.

Greetingsareenthusiasticyetratherformal.

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Theusualhandshakewithdirecteyecontactandasmilesufficesbetweenstrangers.

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Oncearelationshipdevelops,air-kissingonbothcheeks,startingwiththeleftisoftenaddedaswellasapatonthebackbetweenmen.

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Waituntilinvitedtomovetoafirstnamebasis.

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Italiansareguidedbyfirstimpressions,soitisimportantthatyoudemonstrateproprietyandrespectwhengreetingpeople,especiallywhenmeetingthemforthefirsttime.

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ManyItaliansusecallingcardsinsocialsituations.Theseareslightlylargerthantraditionalbusinesscardsandincludetheperson'sname,address,titleoracademichonours,andtheirtelephonenumber.

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IfyouarestayinginItalyforanextendedperiodoftime,itisagoodideatohavecallingcardsmade.Nevergiveyourbusinesscardinlieuofacallingcardinasocialsituation.GiftGivingEtiquette.

Donotgivechrysanthemumsastheyareusedatfunerals.

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Donotgiveredflowersastheyindicatesecrecy.

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Donotgiveyellowflowersastheyindicatejealousy

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Ifyoubringwine,makesureitisagoodvintage.Quality,ratherthanquantity,isimportant.

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Donotwrapgiftsinblack,asistraditionallyamourningcolour.

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Donotwrapgiftsinpurple,asitisasymbolofbadluck.

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Giftsareusuallyopenedwhenreceived.DiningEtiquetteIfinvitedtoanItalianhouse:

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Ifaninvitationsaysthedressisinformal,wearstylishclothesthatarestillratherformal,i.e.,jacketandtieformenandanelegantdressforwomen.

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Punctualityisnotmandatory.Youmayarrivebetween15minuteslateifinvitedtodinnerandupto30minuteslateifinvitedtoaparty.

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Ifyouareinvitedtoameal,bringgift-wrappedsuchaswineorchocolates.

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Ifyouareinvitedfordinnerandwanttosendflowers,havethemdeliveredthatday.Tablemanners.

Remainstandinguntilinvitedtositdown.Youmaybeshowntoaparticularseat.

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TablemannersareContinental--theforkisheldinthelefthandandtheknifeintherightwhileeating.

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Followtheleadofthehostess-shesitsatthetablefirst,startseatingfirst,andisthefirsttogetupattheendofthemeal.

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Thehostgivesthefirsttoast.

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Anhonouredguestshouldreturnthetoastlaterinthemeal.

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Womenmayofferatoast.

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Alwaystakeasmallamountatfirstsoyoucanbecajoledintoacceptingasecondhelping.

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Donotkeepyourhandsinyourlapduringthemeal;however,donotrestyourelbowsonthetableeither.

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Itisacceptabletoleaveasmallamountoffoodonyourplate.

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Pickupcheesewithyourkniferatherthanyourfingers.

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Ifyoudonotwantmorewine,leaveyourwineglassnearlyfull.BusinessEtiquetteandProtocolinItalyRelationshipsandCommunication.

Italiansprefertodobusinesswithpeopletheyknowandtrust.

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Athirdpartyintroductionwillgoalongwayinprovidinganinitialplatformfromwhichtowork.

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Italiansmuchpreferface-to-facecontact,soitisimportanttospendtimeinItalydevelopingtherelationship.

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Yourbusinesscolleagueswillbeeagertoknowsomethingaboutyouasapersonbeforeconductingbusinesswithyou.

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DemeanourisimportantasItaliansjudgepeopleonappearancesandthefirstimpressionyoumakewillbealastingone.

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Italiansareintuitive.Therefore,makeanefforttoensurethatyourItalianscolleagueslikeandtrustyou.

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Networkingcanbeanalmostfull-timeoccupationinItaly.Personalcontactsallowpeopletogetahead.

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Takethetimetoaskquestionsaboutyourbusinesscolleaguesfamilyandpersonalinterests,asthishelpsbuildtherelationship

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Italiansareextremelyexpressivecommunicators.Theytendtobewordy,eloquent,emotional,anddemonstrative,oftenusingfacialandhandgesturestoprovetheirpoint.BusinessMeetingEtiquette.

Appointmentsaremandatoryandshouldbemadeinwriting(inItalian)2to3weeksinadvance.

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Reconfirmthemeetingbytelephoneorfax(againinItalian).

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ManycompaniesareclosedinAugust,andiftheyareopenmanyItalianstakevacationsatthistime,soitisbestnottotrytoschedulemeetingsthen.

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Inthenorth,punctualityisviewedasavirtueandyourbusinessassociateswillmostlikelybeontime.

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ThegoaloftheinitialmeetingistodevelopasenseofrespectandtrustwithyourItalianbusinesscolleagues.

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HaveallyourprintedmaterialavailableinbothEnglishandItalian.

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HireaninterpreterifyouarenotfluentinItalian.

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Itiscommontobeinterruptedwhilespeakingorforseveralpeopletospeakatonce.

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Peopleoftenraisetheirvoicetobeheardoverotherspeakers,notbecausetheyareangry.

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Althoughwrittenagendasarefrequentlyprovided,theymaynotbefollowed.Theyserveasajumpingoffpointforfurtherdiscussions.

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Decisionsarenotreachedinmeetings.Meetingsaremeantforafreeflowofideasandtoleteveryonehavetheirsay.BusinessNegotiation.

Inthenorth,peoplearedirect,seetimeasmoney,andgetdowntobusinessafteronlyabriefperiodofsocialtalk.

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Inthesouth,peopletakeamoreleisurelyapproachtolifeandwanttogettoknowthepeoplewithwhomtheydobusiness.

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AllowyourItalianbusinesscolleaguestosetthepaceforyournegotiations.Followtheirleadastowhenitisappropriatetomovefromsocialtobusinessdiscussions.

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Italiansprefertodobusinesswithhigh-rankingpeople.

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HierarchyisthecornerstoneofItalianbusiness.Italiansrespectpowerandage.

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Negotiationsareoftenprotracted.

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Neverusehigh-pressuresalestactics.

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Alwaysadheretoyourverbalagreements.Failingtofollowthroughonacommitmentwilldestroyabusinessrelationship.

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Heateddebatesandargumentsofteneruptin