Croatia: A Promising Future

Hugo Conchas
IMG 300 Section 2
Dec 3, 2012

Table of Contents
Introduction pg. 2-3
Analysis and Evaluation
1. Cultural Environment pg. 3-4
2. Economic Environment pg. 4-5
3. Political and Government Environment pg. 6-8
Special Issues, Recommendations, and Approaches to Entry with Justifications pg. 8-10
References pg. 11

Croatia is a central European and Mediterranean country. Croatia has a mixed landscape and climate. Along the rocky coastline the climate is Mediterranean. With warm, dry summers and mild winters, it is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe. In the central and northern areas of Croatia the climate is more continental, with hot summers and snowy winters. Croatia's natural landscape varies widely. It includes rolling hills, fertile plains, and Rocky Mountains.
Croatia covers a land area of 56,691 square kilometers and shares borders with Hungary, Serbia, and Slovenia; many outside influences shape the country’s culture. The country’s population consists of 78% Croatians, 12% Serbians, and other ethnicities such as Hungarians and Slovenians. The diverse mix of people comes with many spoken languages, which include Croatian, Italian, Czech, Slovenian, and German. This diversity results in many different religious practices taking place in the country. Freedom of religion is a law written in the Constitution of Croatia and separates religion from state. Roman Catholicism is the most followed religion in the country. Other religious groups include Protestants, Muslims, and followers of the Eastern Orthodox Church. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimension, known as the Human Development Index, Croatia was ranked 51st out of 169 countries on the top end of the human development dimension. In Croatia, over 97% of people are literate. The life expectancy in Croatia is 70 years for men and 78 for women with the infant mortality rated at seven deaths for every 1000 births. The country itself is split into four different sub-cultures: Dalmatia, Istria, Slavonia, and Zagorija, which all differ in economics, food, language, and traditions. The country has no explicitly defined caste system, but family names and professional status are respected and desired more than wealth. Although there is no official social class system the country’s hierarchy is obvious through signs of wealth, similar to that of the US. A non-materialistic factor that shows one’s social status includes education level and the ability to speak English and in many cases, other foreign languages. People from cities maintain a higher social status than those from villages and small towns, Croatians comprise the majority of upper class individuals. Traditionally, Croatia is a patriarchal society with the belief that women and men should not work together; however, this has been very loosely enforced depending on the part of the country. In urban locations, women’s roles were to maintain the household and men would do outside work. However, in rural towns women helped on farms and in fields. After socialism was enacted women were encouraged to join the workforce. In present day, women are now viewed more equally and are expected to begin careers. Men do still maintain a higher status than women but women participate in most professional fields. Over time the rural and urban gender gaps have swapped. Today, a social gender gap is more prevalent in rural, working classes than in the professional workforce. Croatian etiquette, in general, is similar to proper etiquette practiced the United States. In Croatia, the youngest member of the party initiates business and social meetings. Other cultural practices include handshakes, bringing gifts to dinner invitations, and always accepting a Croatians hospitality if invited to his home.
The past decade has been very problematic for the economic