From Pressures to Practice: A Dynamic Mediation Framework for Street-Level Bureaucracy

Despite its foundational importance to public administration, the study of street-level bureaucracy is marked by a persistent theoretical fragmentation, often isolating the bureaucrat's individual agency from the contextual pressures they face. This article bridges this divide through a structured narrative review and thematic analysis of 94 scholarly articles. We develop and propose the Integrated Framework of Dynamic Interplay, a new conceptual model that synthesizes these disparate approaches. The framework posits a three-level dynamic process where environmental drivers (e.g., resource scarcity, digitalization) do not determine outcomes directly. Instead, they are actively filtered by a "bureaucratic mediator", the frontline worker whose agency, shaped by perceived discretion and professional identity, translates these pressures into observable behavior. This mediation results in specific coping mechanisms and adaptive practices that constitute the "policy-in-practice." Theoretically, the framework provides a more holistic and dynamic understanding of frontline work. Practically, it offers a powerful diagnostic tool for managers and policymakers to deconstruct systemic challenges and design more effective, supportive interventions for public services.