How to avoid the pitfalls of collaboration – and when to skip it

The Olympic relays are the pinnacle of cooperation. If one person fails, it affects the entire team.

In terms of order, yes there are no hard and fast rules. Some teams put their fastest runner first, while others prefer to put him last. According to USC Director of Athletics Caryl Smith Gilbert, sometimes it takes someone “tough” like Usain Bolt (formerly the fastest man on Earth) to finish a race. Just watch Bolt the last Olympic relay and you’ll understand exactly what Smith Gilbert means. “It’s everyone’s race,” the announcer says before the final handover. But as soon as the baton lands in Bolt’s hand, the race is over. Jamaica wins by a long shot.

Imagine if runners were less likely to participate in relays if that they had to run last because they thought they’d get fewer points. This is the case with economics publications. Researchers found that individuals were less likely to collaborate on articles if that they had this surname lower in the alphabet — which suggests they might be mentioned later in the title. The reason is that when people think they receive less recognition, they are less likely to cooperate.