Understanding collaboration as response to red tape among Street-level bureaucrats: a curvilinear relationship

Red tape is a significant challenge to street-level bureaucrats’ (SLBs) working experience and performance. While extensive research has examined its negative consequences, less attention has been given to how SLBs adapt to bureaucratic constraints. Using Conservation of Resources Theory, we hypothesize that collaboration is an initial coping strategy to navigate red tape. However, as red tape intensifies, collaboration becomes unsustainable, following a curvilinear pattern. Using a survey dataset of 95,571 teachers across 40 countries, we empirically corroborate hypotheses and suggest that while collaboration may initially help SLBs manage red tape, excessive bureaucratic constraints ultimately undermine their ability to collaborate effectively.