Richard
D. Lewis provides a truly global and practical guide to work and communicate
across cultures, explaining how our own culture and language affect the ways in
which we organize our world, think, feel and respond, before going on to
suggest both general and specific ways of making our influence felt across the
cultural divide.
Categories:
Multi
active: dialogue oriented
Reactive:
listeners
Linear
active: data oriented
Culture Italy
According
to Italian people, the culture of Italy is between linear and multi
active categories in the model of Lewis. They are people oriented and
talk most of the time.
Working Relationships
According
to an interview with an Italian, business relationships are very important in
the business culture. The communication between the employees and the boss is
quite professional and productive. During discussions they stay calm and do
not hesitate to ask questions. Beside this, the possibility to give opinion is
very often in an Italian business culture. Italians are also very emotional and
like to show this.
There
is not a clear separation between work and social life, because most of the
times many companies are family organizations and of small dimensions.
The
company goals motivate the employees to work everyday to the max. Being
successful is very important. The role of the work is important. They work for
themselves, but also for the team. The harmony within the employees and their relationships
are very important. Without harmony, it is almost impossible to achieve good
results.
Material
reward can motivate an Italian to work harder. The Italians think that every
job merits a good salary, but it is not always the most important thing.
Practices
Not
all of the Italians think that being on time is important. They are not
strict with rules in Italy. But, they like to stick to a schedule to help
themselves to organize in advance.
Structure and Hierarchy
Employees
prefer to help each other to reach a goal. They try to explain always why
something is good or wrong, to have the same direction in the company. Reached
goals (individual or not) would be shared with each other for the sake of the
company.
When a
manager of a company is clear, fair and respectful towards the work of the
employees, the strength of respecting a manager is higher. Most of the times decisions are made by the employees. Group-work is important for Italians.
According
to people with another nationality, the culture of Italy is between multiactive
and reactive categories in the model of Lewis.
Relationships
Relationships
are very important according to “not-Italian” persons. The respect between
the children and parents is very strong. Family always has a priority above
friends. Although very good friends can become part of the family.
Italians
are emotional and show this clearly according to “not-Italian” persons. Beside
being emotional they speak a lot and like to show off that they are better than
everybody else.
Practice
“Not-Italian”
people think that Italians don't think punctuality is important. But they
like to stick to the schedule.
Structure and hierarchy
Italians
respect the hierarchy. Because they are emotional, they always want to please
the boss. However, the bosses are not strict and are very open with the
employees. If the employees have good arguments, the boss will consider them. The
work is important for Italians, but the environment is also important. So
according to people with another nationality Italians are job oriented, but
also people oriented.
Figure 1: Multi active category
Multi active
|
||
Mexico
|
Italy
|
|
Talks most of the time
|
x
|
x
|
Does several things at once
|
||
Plans grand outline only
|
x
|
x
|
Emotional
|
x
|
x
|
Displays feelings
|
x
|
x
|
Confronts emotionally
|
x
|
x
|
Has good excuses
|
||
Interrupts often
|
||
People oriented
|
x
|
x
|
Feelings before facts
|
||
Flexible truth
|
x
|
|
Manipulates environment
|
||
Often disregards rules
|
x
|
x
|
Gains status by connections & charisma
|
||
Speech is for opinions
|
x
|
x
|
Likes flexible hours
|
x
|
x
|
Is gregarious, inquitive
|
||
Is dialogue oriented
|
x
|
|
Talks fast
|
x
|
x
|
Speech leads thought (thinks aloud)
|
x
|
x
|
Completes human transactions
|
||
Relationship oriented
|
x
|
x
|
Roams back and forth
|
||
Tries to win argument
|
x
|
x
|
Borrows and gives freely
|
||
Maximizes power distance
|
||
Seeks favors, pulls strings
|
x
|
|
Mixes social and professional lives
|
||
Deals based on liking the client
|
||
Spoken word important
|
x
|
x
|
Contracts are ideal documents in an ideal world
|
||
Responses to letters slow due to preferring spoken
messages
|
||
Increasing status of the organization is important
|
||
Overlapping speech is acceptable
|
||
Unrestained body language
|
||
Religion retains strong influence
|
||
16
|
15
|
Figure 2 Linear active category
Linear active
|
||
Italian
|
Other nat.
|
|
Talks half the time
|
||
Does one thing at a time
|
||
Plans ahead step by step
|
||
Polite but direct
|
||
Partly conceals feelings
|
||
Confronts with logic
|
||
Dislikes losing face
|
||
Rarely interrupts
|
||
Job oriented
|
x
|
x
|
Sticks to facts
|
||
Truth before diplomacy
|
||
Controls environment
|
||
Values & follows rules
|
||
Gains status by achievements
|
||
Speech is for information
|
||
Works fixed hours
|
||
Values privacy
|
||
Data oriented
|
||
Talks at medium speed
|
||
Thinks briefly, then speaks
|
||
Completes action chains
|
||
Result oriented
|
||
Sticks to ageda
|
||
Compromises to achieve deal
|
x
|
|
Borrows and gives rarely
|
||
Minimizes power distance
|
||
Respects officialdom
|
x
|
|
Separates social and professional lives
|
||
Deal based on products, facts and figures
|
||
Written word important
|
||
Contracts are binding
|
||
Quick responses to written communication
|
||
Short term profit is desirable
|
||
Likes short pauses between speech turns
|
||
Restrained body language
|
||
Rationalism and science dominate thinking more than
religion
|
||
3
|
1
|
Figure 3 Reactive category
Reactive
|
||
Italian
|
Other nat.
|
|
Listens most of the time
|
||
Reacts to partner's ctib
|
||
Looks at general principles
|
||
Polite, indirect
|
||
Conceals feelings
|
||
Never confronts
|
||
Must not lose face
|
||
Does not interrupt
|
||
Very people oriented
|
x
|
|
Statements are promises
|
||
Diplomacy over truth
|
||
Lives in harmony with environment
|
||
Interprets rules flexibly
|
||
Gains status by birthright & education
|
||
Speech is to promote harmony
|
||
Work, leisure & life are interwined
|
||
Respectful, likes sharing
|
x
|
x
|
Likes networking
|
||
Talks slowly
|
||
Contemplates, then speaks briefly
|
||
Harmonizes by doing things at approppiate times
|
||
Harmony oriented
|
||
Often asks for repeats
|
||
Compromises for future relations
|
||
Borrows rarely, gives ritually
|
||
Observes fixed power distance
|
||
Uses connections
|
||
Connects social and professional lives
|
||
Deal based on harmony and appropiacy
|
||
Face to face contact important
|
x
|
|
Contracts are statements of intent and renegotiable
|
||
Responses slow due to need for lateral clearances
|
||
Long term profit and increased market share are
important
|
||
Likes long pauses between speech turns
|
||
Subtle body language
|
||
Ethics and philosophies dominate thinking
|
||
1
|
3
|
