How village heads become street-level policy entrepreneurs: the case of rural revitalization in China

What factors drive street-level bureaucrats (SLBs) to transition into street-level policy entrepreneurs (SLPEs)? Moreover, what strategies do these SLPEs employ to enhance policy implementation outcomes? Drawing on the case of village heads within the context of China’s rural revitalization strategy, this study develops a multilevel analytical framework encompassing individuals and organizational and institutional drivers influencing this transformation. At the individual level, personal traits and public service motivation (PSM) influence SLBs’ entrepreneurship. At the organizational and institutional levels, an organizational climate for innovation, a pressure system, and a discretion dilemma are crucial drivers of entrepreneurial behaviours. Furthermore, this study offers an in-depth analysis of rural SLPEs’ innovative strategies to influence policy implementation outcomes. These strategies include problem framing, using and expanding networks, and venue shopping.