title: Supporting knowledge translation through collaborative translational research initiatives: 'bridging' versus 'blurring' boundary-spanning approaches in the UK CLAHRC initiative.
abstract: Recent policy initiatives in the UK and internationally have sought to promote knowledge translation between the 'producers' and 'users' of research. Within this paper we explore how boundary-spanning interventions used within such initiatives can support knowledge translation between diverse groups. Using qualitative data from a 3-year research study conducted from January 2010 to December 2012 of two case-sites drawn from the CLAHRC initiative in the UK, we distinguish two different approaches to supporting knowledge translation; a 'bridging' approach that involves designated roles, discrete events and activities to span the boundaries between communities, and a 'blurring' approach that de-emphasises the boundaries between groups, enabling a more continuous process of knowledge translation as part of day-to-day work-practices. In this paper, we identify and differentiate these boundary-spanning approaches and describe how they emerged from the context defined by the wider CLAHRC networks. This highlights the need to develop a more contextualised analysis of the boundary-spanning that underpins knowledge translation processes, relating this to the distinctive features of a particular case.
authors.affiliation: Innovation, Knowledge & Organisational Networks (IKON) Research Unit, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick, UK.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Keele Management School, Darwin Building, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK. Electronic address: h.scarbrough@keele.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Scarbrough
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D036262:Empirical Research; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D012107:Research Design; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006113:United Kingdom
keywords: Boundary-spanning; CLAHRCs; Collaboration; Healthcare management; Knowledge translation; Professional boundaries; Translational research initiatives; UK