Final answer:
Among the options listed, sole proprietors fit the description of a domestic middleman, as they can act as intermediaries by selling products or services within a domestic market.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of domestic middleman mentioned in the question refers to entities that facilitate transactions within the same country between producers and consumers or businesses. The options given are:
- Sole proprietors
- Export management companies
- Foreign distributors
- Lessors
- Joint ventures
Sole proprietors are individuals who own and run their business alone, and they can indeed act as intermediaries by selling products or services from producers to consumers within a domestic market, making them a type of domestic middleman. Other options listed, such as export management companies and foreign distributors, deal mainly with international trade, while lessors are involved in leasing, and joint ventures pertain to business entities created by two or more parties. Therefore, in the context of domestic intermediaries, sole proprietors fit the description of a domestic middleman.