We are not who they think we are! Examining responses of qualified Tunisian immigrants in France to country-of-origin based image discrepancies

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the dimensions of country-of-origin based image discrepancies that qualified immigrants perceive at the workplace and their responses to such discrepancies. By country-of-origin based image discrepancies, we mean misalignments between immigrants’ own notions and their perceptions of how host country employees (HCEs) think about their countries-of-origin and themselves based on their countries-of-origin. Our findings reveal that immigrants perceive discrepancies pertaining to four domains: national distinctiveness, dietary sophistication, governance and development, and religious practice. Further, they respond to them through two broad sets of tactics. The first set of responses involve engagement with HCEs via discussing, misleading, and individualizing. The second set involves evading HCEs and includes striving, immigrant socializing, avoiding, and rationalizing. This study contributes to the literature on image discrepancies by highlighting the importance of country-of-origin, specifically for qualified immigrants, who respond to them through various tactics. Our results would be helpful to both qualified immigrants and their organizations in managing image discrepancies and eventually adjustment at the workplace.