Enhancing street-level bureaucrats ’compliance with policies challenging traditional customs through information frameworks: an experimental study in China

Abstract

ABSTRACT Street-level bureaucrats face serious policy compliance challenges when implementing ‘policies that run counter to traditional custom’. How can the compliance of street-level bureaucrats with such policies be enhanced? To answer this question, based on the policy context of a fireworks display ban, this paper examines the policy compliance behavioural tendencies of street-level bureaucrats under informational frames using a 2(emotional vs. logical) * 2 (gain vs. loss) experimental approach. It was found that different information frames differentially affect the policy compliance. Emotion-based information frames are more effective in strengthening street-level bureaucrats’ policy compliance than logic-based narrative frames. Emphasizing losses is more effective in enhancing street-level bureaucrats’ policy compliance than emphasizing gains. The attitude of street bureaucrats to policy plays a partly mediating role. This study provides insight into the street-level bureaucrats’ policy compliance tendencies in implementing policies that are contrary to traditional custom, emphasizing the important role of information presentation mode in policy propaganda and mobilization in intervening in the policy compliance behaviour of street-level bureaucrats.