Buy essay on Country Profile on Entrepreneurship in Italy

Today, starting up business is a great challenge, especially if a company enters a new market in a new country. In this respect, cultural peculiarities of local economy and entrepreneurship play a particularly important role because cultural differences can influence consistently the overall performance of a new company, whereas cultural conflicts may lead to the failure of business. At the same time, starting up a business in a new cultural environment or simply in a new country need a detailed analysis of the new cultural environment, on the ground of which a company can develop its management strategy to establish positive relationships within the company as well as to build up a new marketing strategy in relation to target customer group. In this respect, Italy is a country with quite strict policies related to starting up business but still the country is attractive for foreign investors due to its political and socioeconomic development, the high level of the development of democratic traditions and the membership in the European Union. At the same time, Italy has a specific culture, which makes it different from all other countries and, therefore, a company starting up business in Italy should be aware of cultural peculiarities of developing business in Italy.
Hofstede’s cultural dimensions
a. Small v. large power distance
One of the key factors that define the relationship within a company is the power distance. In this regard, Italy has long-lasting democratic traditions and the power distance is quite small. At the same time, Italy inclines to certain paternalism, which used to be particularly strong during the fascist regime in Italy, and some elements of paternalism still persist in the modern economy of Italy. Nevertheless, the general trend to open market economic principles and respect to fundamental democratic values closes the gap between managers and subordinates, policy makers and average citizens.
b. Individualism v. collectivism
At the same time, the level of individualism in Italy is very high. As a rule, employees and managers in Italy are success oriented. Although they are not as individualistic as Americans but still Italian employees and managers are very concerned with their personal success (Weiler, 2002). This means that normally Italian employees are concerned with their own success and interests above all, whereas interests and success of their company are secondary for them. In such a situation, a company starting up business in Italy should motivate its employees and managers by prospect of professional growth as well as by a high level of wages.
c. Masculinity v. femininity
The relationship between genders also affects the marketing performance of a company and starting up business in Italy is impossible without taking into consideration gender relationships. Traditionally, Italian society was male dominated. Today, men still play the leading part in the socioeconomic and political life of the country but, in recent years, the role of women in Italy has started to change. Their engagement into the political life of the country and socioeconomic activities increase, whereas democratic traditions contribute to the faster integration of women in the political and economic elite of the country. Nevertheless, gender relationships are still not absolutely equal and men dominate over women but a company starting up business in Italy should respect equality of genders and avoid manifestations of gender discrimination.
d. Weak v. strong uncertainty avoidance
As many other people, Italians are very concerned with their future but they are not as pragmatic as Germans and, to a certain extent, they are opportunistic in regard to the uncertainty avoidance. Nevertheless, their uncertainty avoidance is rather strong than weak. Therefore, a company starting up business in Italy should motivate its personnel through provision of clear perspectives of career development and minimizing the risk of job cuts.
e. Long v. short-term orientation
In spite of their relatively strong uncertainty avoidance, Italians are more oriented on short-term perspectives than long-term ones. Italians count for positive outcomes of their work in a short-term perspective. Otherwise, they grow dissatisfied with their job.