ABSTRACT
Questionnaires were sent to 125 information brokers identified in The Directory of Fee-Based Services as having been in business for a minimum of five years and offering diversified service to their clients. Of the six information brokerage firms selected to participate in the detailed survey, half were established in 1982. The other three were established in 1974, 1977, and 1980. One-third were begun by a principal with a partner, and only one still has the partner; two-thirds were started solely by the principal of the company. Propensity for risk-taking was spread out on the continuum: one person’s rating was low to moderate, one was moderate, two were moderate to high, and two were high. The two extremes are somewhat out of character since most successful entrepreneurs fall into the moderate range of risk-taking. Two felt cooperative efforts were high and two believed that cooperation among information brokers is low to non-existent because brokers are competitive, jealous, insecure, and/or profit-oriented.
