Who Should Attend ?

Employees preparing for an assignment in Italy and their partners

Benefits of Attendance

This seminar aims at significantly improving the ability of the participants to meet the challenges of living and working abroad. The objective is to enable them to identify the stumbling blocks that lie ahead and to be able to adapt and integrate in Italy.

At the end of this training, participants will have acquired insights and techniques to:

• Be aware of their own cultural baggage
• Understand Italian context and culture
• Analyse situations in which misunderstandings may arise and identify ways of communicating more effectively
• Reduce and manage the symptoms of culture shock
• Understand Italian mindset, work practices, decision-making processes and negotiating styles
• Strike the right balance between personal et professional lives

Training Approach

• A cross-cultural approach of International Mobility
• Country specific trainers
• Personalized and familiy focused action plan
• Access to the Nomad’ Network, an exclusive online tool for Akteos’ clients and experts:  find resources, exchange experiences, knowledge and insights

Programme Outline

Module 1 : Successful personnal integration in Italy

1. Cross-cultural awareness : the key to a successful expatriation

• Taking stock of one's own cultural baggage
• Culture shock and the integration process
• Identifying and going beyond cultural stereotypes

2. Key aspects of Italian culture

• The “Italian boot”: a divided land, the North-South divide
• The impact of lengthy foreign occupation
• The slow and painful road to Italian unity
• Debilitating political instability.  A two-speed society
• The Mafia, clean hands and corruption: time to move beyond stereotypes
• A priceless cultural heritage.  The educational system

3. Italian values and behaviour patterns

• Catholicism as part of daily life
• The family: a vital aspect of Italian life, the changing role of women
• Regional identity. Time-related problems
• Creativeness and a lively spirit.  The sheer richness of Italian "fantasia"
• The value attached to effort and success.  An ability to laugh and smile
• "Il gestire vagabondo"  or how to make the most of opportunities

4. Practical day-to-day information

• Focus on the host town or city
• High-quality health facilities struggling to keep pace with demand
• A dense transport network.  Housing and security.
• Social life, leisure activities, schools, extracurricular activities, sport

Module 2 : Successful professionnal integration in Italy

1. The Italian corporate world

• The role of the family in Italian companies
• Industrial districts: specialisations and networks
• Differences in working methods and in the notion of quality
• An impressive legislative arsenal

2. Effective communication with the Italians

• The circulation of information, professional networks
• Judging  books by their covers:  the importance of looks and gestures
• “Fare bella figura” or standing out
• Self expression and propriety

3. Working with Italian teams

• The Italian management and corporate culture
• The importance of intuition and the personal touch
• Responsibilities and decision-making.  Respect for status
• Demonstrating your "Arrangiarsi": flexibility and adaptation
• Building trust and confidence: the principle of "buon rendere"

4. Successful meetings and negotiations with the Italians

• The preparatory phase: many different points of contact
• High drama or the art of intrigue: horse trading and haggling
• Overcoming difficulties and obstacles.  Remaining above criticism
• Written contracts, their interpretation and implications

5. Final handy tips

• Patience, flexibility and humility
• Social standards, gifts, business cards, dress code, etc
• Sensitive subjects: politics, the Mafia, fascism and corruption