Policy Entrepreneurship at the Street Level
Understanding the Effect of the Individual

Connects literature of street-level bureaucrats with that of policy entrepreneurship to analyze how bureaucrats promote policy change.

Nissim Cohen (Author)

9781108818865, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 13 May 2021

75 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 0.6 cm, 0.163 kg

This Element aims to connect the literature of street-level bureaucrats with that of policy entrepreneurship in order to analyze why and how bureaucrats operating at the street level can promote policy change in public administration at the individual level. I demonstrate how street-level bureaucrats act as policy entrepreneurs in different contexts around the globe to promote policy change and analyze what they think of policy entrepreneurship and what they do about it in practice. For this purpose, I use multiple research methods: a survey, in-depth interviews, focus groups and textual analyses. I also offer recommendations to decision-makers to promote street-level policy entrepreneurship, highlighting the benefits of doing so. Lastly, I critically discuss the normative aspects of street-level policy entrepreneurship: ultimately, is it desirable?

1. Working at the Street Level
2. The Civil Servant as a Policy Entrepreneur
3. Street-Level Policy Entrepreneurs in Action
4. What Civil Servants Think of Policy Entrepreneurship and What They Do About It
5. How to Increase Street-Level Bureaucrats' Policy Entrepreneurship
6. The Dark Side of Street-Level Bureaucrats' Policy Entrepreneurship.

Subject Areas: Organizational theory & behaviour [KJU], Public administration [JPP], Politics & government [JP]