World Travel Guide

City Guide  - Florence  - Business
Business

Business Profile: The small-scale craftsmanship that gave rise to Florence's dramatic flowering of genius, continues to flourish in the city's narrow backstreets. Handmade leather shoes and bags, exquisite marbled stationery and terracotta ornaments are just some of the goods imported around the world and into British shops like Liberty and Hobbs. Sales of wine and olive oil have boomed outside the Mediterranean since the 1970s, turning the ubiquitous olive juice into liquid gold. Tuscany's produce is widely considered to be the best and is snapped up all over the world. Chianti, too, has reinvented itself, throwing off the kitsch straw-covered flasks in favour of sleek square-shouldered bottles with serious attitude. From its early days in wool and banking to the goldsmiths and fashion designers of today, Florence has grown fat on its mercantile enterprise. Families like the Antinori (wine) and the Strozzi (banking) continue to flourish in the city alongside international business. But it is the year-round tourist industry that has contributed most heavily to the city's bulging coffers. Over half the city is employed, directly or indirectly, by the tourism sector. Aside from the staffing of museums, tourist offices, restaurants and hotels, Florence leads the way in restoration - creating techniques that are adopted around the world. Despite the noise and traffic pollution, the quality of life in the city is excellent with unemployment figures at 6.2%, about half the national average of 12.5%. Florence has one of the highest standards of living in Italy - 1996 registered the highest level of individual bank deposits in the country.

Business Etiquette

It is important to distinguish between an Italian's laid-back attitude to life, and their more formal approach to business. While Florentines are immensely proud of their city and will enjoy showing off its best restaurants and finest wines, a certain degree of formality should be maintained for business matters. Appointments for meetings should be made in advance and punctuality is respected. Business cards are commonly exchanged by way of introduction. Smart dress is appropriate as is a high degree of respect - Italian associates should always be addressed as Lei (the polite form of tu) unless otherwise indicated. Although many executives will speak English, it is advisable to conduct business in Italian if possible - Italians always appreciate a visitor who tries to speak their language, however poorly. Normal business hours are 0900-1700, but much of the city closes for August.



Copyright © 2001 Columbus Publishing
    
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