Are international trade intermediaries catalysts in economic development? A new research agenda

International trade intermediaries (ITIs) represent a valuable conduit for market information and marketing technology for the international neophyte firm. However, aware that their intermediary role can become redundant over time, ITIs may adopt survival strategies that are suboptimal from the manufacturer's point of view. This article identifies the catalytic and sometimes ambiguous role of ITIs in the economic development of host nations. The author identifies some propositions and proposes a research agenda.