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Olympic relay races are the pinnacle of collaboration. If one person falters, it impacts the entire team.
When it comes to ordering, there is no hard and fast rule. Some teams put the fastest runner first, but others choose to put him last. According to USC Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert, sometimes you need someone “tough” like Usain Bolt (formerly the fastest man on Earth) to close out the race. Just watch Bolt’s latest Olympic relay and you’ll understand exactly what Smith Gilbert means. “It’s anyone’s race,” says the announcer before the final handover. But as soon as the baton is in Bolt’s hands, the race is over. Jamaica wins by a landslide.
Imagine if runners were less likely to participate in relays if they had to run last because they thought they would receive less credit. This is the case of publications in the economic field. The researchers found that people were less likely to collaborate on articles if their last name was lower in the alphabet, meaning they would be listed later in the title. The reason is that when people think they will receive less credit, they are less likely to cooperate.