Brokerage Analysis

Gould-Fernandez brokerage analysis classifies the intermediary positions actors occupy in a network. For every two-path in which an actor v sits between a source i and a target j, the analysis labels v's role according to the group memberships of the three actors, yielding five distinct brokerage types — coordinator, itinerant broker (consultant), gatekeeper, representative, and liaison. Counting how often each actor plays each role reveals who mediates within groups, who controls access across group boundaries, and who bridges otherwise separate communities.