Radu-Alexandru ARCAN

Faculty: Computers and

Automation
Specialization: Computers
and Information Technology

Introduction
Italy is a country rich in agriculture, art, architecture, and especially
food. Italy's 20 regions feel more like 20 independent states, each with its
own dialects, traditions, architecture and glorious food. Then there's the
country's incomparable artistic treasures, which amount to more than the
rest of the world put together. It's hard not to feel a little envious
sometimes, but it's even harder not to fall madly in love.

General Information
Italy officially the Italian Republic is a unitary parliamentary
republic in Europe. Italy covers an area of 301,338 km2 (116,347 sq mi)
and has a largely temperate climate; due to its shape, it is often referred
to in Italy as lo Stivale (the Boot). The relative location is in Southern
Europe on the Mediterranean Sea. It boarders France, Switzerland, Austria,
and Slovenia. With 61 million inhabitants, it is the 5th most populous
country in Europe. Italy is a very highly developed country and has the
third largest economy in the Euro zone and the eighth-largest in the world.
Since ancient times, Etruscan, Magna Graecia and other
cultures have flourished in the territory of present-day Italy, being
eventually absorbed by Rome, that has for centuries remained the leading
political and religious centre of Western civilisation, capital of the Roman
Empire and Christianity. Especially during The Renaissance, Italian culture
thrived, producing scholars, artists, and polymaths such as Leonardo da
Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli. Italian explorers such as Polo,

Columbus, Vespucci, and Verrazzano discovered new routes to the Far

East and the New World, helping to usher in the European Age of
Discovery. Nevertheless, Italy would remain fragmented into many
warring states for the rest of the Middle Ages, subsequently falling prey to
larger European powers such as France, Spain, and later Austria. Italy
would thus enter a long period of decline that lasted until the mid 19th
century.
In the years that followed, Italy abolished the monarchy, reinstated
democracy, and enjoyed a prolonged economic boom, thus becoming one
of the most developed nations and the 5th largest economy in the world
by 1990.
Italy plays a prominent role in global military, cultural and
diplomatic affairs and thus is considered a major regional power. Italy is
one of the founding and leading member of the European Union.
[Bibliography: www.wikipedia.org, www.lonelyplanet.com]

Offi cial Holidays

In Italy there are eleven official public holidays. Other particular
days are also celebrated, but these are not official public holidays and
employers are not obliged to give their employees a day off.

[Bibliography: www.wikipedia.org, www.officeholidays.com ]

Etiquette- Advice to Business People

For the business traveller, doing business in foreign countries can
bring with it cross cultural communication challenges. Understanding and
appreciating a country's business culture, protocol and etiquette is
important in nurturing good business relationships.

At business meetings it is customary to shake

everyones hand in greeting and in concluding the
meeting.

Dont under-estimate the importance of a business

meeting. The important thing to remember is that
most agreements, contracts and deals are actually
decided in one of these meetings before pen hits
paper.

Italian business people prefer when people look

them in their eyes when communicating.

Liberation Day
Liberation of Italy from
Nazi Germany, 1945
Republic Day

Republic, 1946
It is considered bad manners to call a business associate or contact
at his home or on his mobile number after hours.
It is common to entertain a few minutes of small talk before a
business meeting commences

Punctuality is debatable and we recommend you are punctual,

baring in mind that it is common practice in Italy to wait a few
minutes anyways.

Italians like foreigners who are not rude and who are open to
learning and experiencing their country and culture

Dress formally to make a serious, no-nonsense impression. Italians

give importance to visual appearances and are accustomed to very
high quality clothing and accessories.

[Bibliography: https://incorporateinitaly.wordpress.com,
http://businessculture.org/ ]

Culture and Civilization in the Middle

Ages
In the time following the end of the Western Roman Empire known
popularly as the Dark Ages, Italy faced great hardship due to the political
and military struggles among the Byzantines, the Lombards and the
Franks, along with a visible collapse of the Mediterranean trade.
Towns of early medieval Italy consisted of basic houses, in the
gardens of which town dwellers would grow their own food. However, as
the Dark Ages wore on, Italy emerged as a key player in the new
flourishing of civilization across Europe.

The period following the fall of the Western Roman Empire is

referred to in European history as the Middle Ages (5001500). This period
is traditionally divided into three erasthe Early, High, and Late Middle
Ages.
At the beginning of the Middle Ages, Western Europe was the
weakest of the three civilizations. However, over the course of the period
this slowly changed, as Western Europe grew increasingly centralized,
wealthy, and powerful.
Italy in the Middle Ages was characterized by fragmentation into
multiple political units which was a result of rivalry between the European
states for influence in the region as well as internal struggles for power.

Except for a brief period during the Early Middle Ages, Italy remained
politically divided throughout the medieval period.
[Bibliography: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/ , http://www.saylor.org/,
http://www.heeve.com/]

Culture and civilization in the

Renaissance
The Renaissance or rebirth began in Italy at the end of the
fourteenth century and became an era of many cultural and architectural
achievements in Europe. The Renaissance first began in Tuscany and was
centered on the republics of Siena and Florence after the decimation left
in the wake of the Black Death.
Though it eventually spread through Europe, the Renaissance began
in the great city-states of Italy. Florence, considered the birthplace of the
Renaissance, grew powerful as a wool-trading post, and remained
powerful throughout the Renaissance due to the leadership of the Medici
family, who maintained the city's financial strength and were intelligent
and generous patrons of the arts.
Perhaps the most prominent feature of the Renaissance was the
furthering of the arts, and the advancement of new techniques and styles.
the apex of artistic talent and production came later, during what is
known as the High Renaissance, in the form of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael,
and Michaelangelo, who remain the best known artists of the
Renaissance.
By the end of the 15th century, Italy was being torn apart by one
war after another. The kings of England, France and Spain, along with the
Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, battled for control of the wealthy
peninsula. At the same time, the Catholic Church, which was itself
wracked with scandal and corruption, had begun a violent crackdown on
dissenters. In 1545, the Council of Trent officially established the Roman
Inquisition. In this climate, humanism was akin to heresy. The Italian
Renaissance was over.

[Bibliography: http://www.lifeinitaly.com/, http://www.history.com/,

http://www.sparknotes.com/ ]

Conclusion
To sum up, Italy is a beautiful country with a great culture, economy,
art and business opportunities. The official holidays are similar to other
countries but nevertheless, Italy is a strong country with a major impact
on the European space.