Culture Profile of Italy. By no means it is totally true, the information provided is based on research carried out.

1. Italy

2. Geographic & Demographi c
Italy is located in Southern of
Europe and borders with
Switzerland, France, Austria and
San Marino
Lake Garda is the largest of the Italian lakes.
300,340 km2 : 40%
are mountains and
volcanoes, rivers and
lakes, islands
Etna, the highest active volcano
60.4 million, the fourth-largest population in
the European Union and the 23rd-largest population
worldwide.

3. Culture of
Italy
Italian culture is one
of the world's oldest
cultures and has so
many differences in
language, religions,
cuisine, arts…

4. Political System
•Parliamentary Republic
• 3 Powers:
the Executive: the Counsel of the
Ministers
the Legislative :the Parliament
(Congress), which is divided in
Senate and Chamber (the House)
the Juridical: the Magistrates
(Judges)
President Giorgio Napolitano was elected on
10 May 2006.

5. Main language and minorities
Official language: Italian
 Minorities: German (provincial),
Slovene(provincial), French (regional)
Other minorities (11):
• Sardinian(2.2%)
• Friulian(0.9%)
• Occitan(0.3%)
• Albanian (0.2%)
• Roma (0.2%)
• Croat (0.01%)
• Misunderstandings
• Misunderstandings
• Franco-Provencal and
French (0.2%)
• Ladin (0.1%)
• Greek (0.03%)
• Catalan (0.01%)
• Croat (0.01%)

6. Religion
Christian 80%
(overwhelmingly
Roman Catholic with
very small groups of
Jehovah's Witnesses
and Protestants)
Muslim (about
800,000 to 1 million)
Atheist and Agnostic
20%

7. Educational
system
+ Italy's public education
is FREE and Italy has
both public and private
+It has a five-year
primary stage and
an eight-year secondary
stage
+After secondary school,
students have to take
the final exam called
Esame di Maturità.
+Pass the exam choose
university

8. Stereotypes

9. ITALIAN AND SPANISH
CULTURES ARE RATHER
SIMILAR NO

10. Italians eat pasta and pizza all the time
Kind of yes

11. ITALIANS DRINK LOTS OF
COFFEE
YES

12. ITALIANS ARE ROMANTIC
AND PASSIONATE
YES

13. ALL ITALIANS ARE
CONNECTED TO THE MAFIA
NO

14. ITALIANS GESTICULATE
WHILE TALKING
Kind of yes

15. ALL CARS IN ITALY ARE
MAZERATTI AND FERRARI
NO

16. ITALIANS ARE NOT THE
BEST DRIVERS
Kind of yes

17. Communication style
• Greeting - handshake
• Once a relationship is formed - a kiss on both
cheeks (even men) in greeting
• Speak loudly
• Interruptions are to be expected
• Silence is rather uncomfortable
• Eye contact - direct and constant
• Small personal space
• Demonstrate emotions (even in a business
setting)

18. Smalltalk
Appropriate topics:
•Italian history
•Architecture
•Art and culture
•Sports (especially
football/soccer)
•Food and wine
•Current events
•Families
Topics to avoid:
•Religion, the Vatican and its
policies
•Politics, taxes
•World War II
•Criticizing the Italian
culture (even if your Italian
counterparts are doing so)
•Mafia
•Personal questions
•Income

19. Gestures
Sign language is rich in
“expressions”
•grouping all fingers’ tips
together against the
thumb and waving the
hand back and forth
•pointing the index and
little fingers downwards
to shape two “horns”
•Hand Gestures in Italy

20. Food Pear Pasta or Ravioli di
Pera
Truffle or Tartufo
Angry Sauce or Sugo all'arrabbiata
Fried Olives or Olive all'Ascolana
Cheese
Pizza

21. Drinks
Coffee
Juice
Liqueurs
Wine Iced Tea

22. Arts
• International art scene from the 19th century
• Major artistic centers include:
 Rome
 Florence
 Venice
 Milan
 Naples
 Turin

23. Family
“ A family who eats together stays together”
1960 2014

24. Dress Code
• Known to be the prime concern
• Elegant accessories crucial for both men
and women
BBuussiinneessss
• Dark-colored conservative business suits
for men
• Business suits and conservative dresses
for women
PPaarrttiieess
• Stylish clothes that are rather formal

25. WWoorrkkiinngg HHoouurrss
• 8 am to 1pm and then 3pm to 7pm
– With approximately two hours of break
• Total working time of 48hours/week (Inclusive of
overtime)
• Rest of 11 hours for every 24 hours
• Paid leave of not less than 4 weeks/year
PPuunnccttuuaalliittyy
• Not a priority
• Work plan not taken too strictly
• Usually multi-task

26. Gifts
BBuussiinneessss
• Not common
• Only after a trusted relationship is established
• Not too expensive
FFaammiillyy LLuunncchh//DDiinnnneerr
• Do not turn up empty-handed
• Chocolates, Pastries, Wine, Flowers

27. Equality
• Very low gender equality
– Ranked 71st in Global Gender Gap Report 2013
– Worst country in EU
• Income, positions

28. Business Negotiations
• North Italians are direct and value time as money
• South Italians are more relaxed and like to get to
know the people they are working with
• Usually prolonged
• Prefer doing business with higher ranked people
• High-pressure sales tactics are not used
• Following commitments are very critical

29. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION