Planning to do business in Italy?
Here are a couple of tips from Worldbusinessculture.com:
Just remember, Italians don't think like Americans, Canadians, Britons and Australians or any other people who hail from Northern climates.
It's not just about business with them.
Here's my personal perception on the difference between Italians and hyperboreans. If you have an issue with the family, the Mediterranean thinking is you attend to your family first for if your family life is weak, your work life will be weaker. Family matters are paramount. Whereas to "Anglo-Saxon" thinking, the company comes above all else as a sign of "dedication."
The latter is a principal reason why I left to start my own business. I didn't want to feel guilty whenever I had to take of family stuff. To me, my family comes first. A business will always be around. You only have one shot at raising a family properly.
Years ago during my times as a financial advisor my boss (who was of Scottish heritage) presented me with a hypothetical situation. Knowing my wife had severe allergies he asked what I would do if she called with an episode. The question immediately left me uneasy but I still answered "I would go attend to her since it could be life threatening." He wasn't crazy about the answer. This in a steady, mature book of business that could easily absorb my leaving for half a day.
My fate was sealed that day and looked to move on. The clash of values was too much for me to take.
Here are a couple of tips from Worldbusinessculture.com:
Just remember, Italians don't think like Americans, Canadians, Britons and Australians or any other people who hail from Northern climates.
It's not just about business with them.
Here's my personal perception on the difference between Italians and hyperboreans. If you have an issue with the family, the Mediterranean thinking is you attend to your family first for if your family life is weak, your work life will be weaker. Family matters are paramount. Whereas to "Anglo-Saxon" thinking, the company comes above all else as a sign of "dedication."
The latter is a principal reason why I left to start my own business. I didn't want to feel guilty whenever I had to take of family stuff. To me, my family comes first. A business will always be around. You only have one shot at raising a family properly.
Years ago during my times as a financial advisor my boss (who was of Scottish heritage) presented me with a hypothetical situation. Knowing my wife had severe allergies he asked what I would do if she called with an episode. The question immediately left me uneasy but I still answered "I would go attend to her since it could be life threatening." He wasn't crazy about the answer. This in a steady, mature book of business that could easily absorb my leaving for half a day.
My fate was sealed that day and looked to move on. The clash of values was too much for me to take.
