Defining brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners: a systematic review

Background: A growing literature focuses on the roles of brokers, intermediaries, and boundary spanners (BIBS) in addressing challenges transferring research evidence between practice or policy communities. Aims objectives: In this systematic review, we examined two questions: (1) where, how, when are different BIBS terms (broker, intermediary, spanner) used? (2) which get defined, these who what do they do? Methods: We conducted searches designed to capture articles transfer evidence. extracted information about eligible articles’ characteristics, use terms, definitions terms. Findings: The search revealed an initial pool 667 results, 277 were included after screening. Although coded 430 separate uses only 37.2% provided explicit definitions. ‘broker’ ‘brokerage’, commonly applied health sector describe a person engaged multiple functions. term, ‘intermediary’, was education organisation dissemination. Finally, ‘boundary spanner’ spanning’ environment people organisations that engage relationship building. Discussion conclusions: Results demonstrated there important (albeit implicit) distinctions Based identify archetypal for offer recommendations future research.