Street‐Level Bureaucrats and Public Value Conflicts: Role Ambiguity, Flexible Role Orientation, and Performance

ABSTRACT Street‐level bureaucrats are crucial for government efficiency, but public value conflicts frequently hinder their performance. This study draws on role theory and proposes a theoretical model to assess the influence of public value conflicts on the job performance of street‐level bureaucrats. In Study 1, a survey of 589 street‐level bureaucrats revealed that public value conflicts directly affect their job performance and indirectly influence it by intensifying role ambiguity. Study 2, involving a survey of 300 street‐level bureaucrats, further indicated that a flexible role orientation can diminish the impact of public value conflicts on role ambiguity and its mediating role between public value conflicts on job performance. This study provides a new theoretical perspective on how public value conflicts impact street‐level bureaucrats' job performance and provides practical advice for policymakers and managers to improve civil service management and government governance.