Exploring rule-following identity at the frontline: The roles of general self-efficacy, gender, and attitude toward clients

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Keulemans, Shelena
• 署名单位: Radboud University Nijmegen
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/padm.12721
• 发表日期: 2021
• 页码: 694-710
• 关键词: street-level bureaucrats; SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY; organizational rules; work; DISCRETION; behaviors; RACE

摘要

The way in which street-level bureaucrats relate to rules has intrigued scholars for decades. This article revisits the classic idea that street-level bureaucrats' rule-following identity reflects their personal insecurity and penchant for control. Building on this perspective of emotional needs, we investigate how general self-efficacy, gender, and attitude toward clients affect this identity. We expect general self-efficacy to suppress a strong rule-following identity by stimulating street-level bureaucrats' internal sense of control. We furthermore expect that this relation is stronger for women bureaucrats and bureaucrats who hold a positive attitude to clients. Contrary to expectations, survey data (n = 1407) show that this identity strengthens as general self-efficacy beliefs increase. Gender and attitude to clients do not affect this relationship. These findings suggest that rule-following identity reflects street-level bureaucrats' confidence in their abilities to work complex rule sets to fulfill task requirements, rather than desire for control or to reduce insecurity.