Journal of Political Economy Vol. 107 No. 4 1999
First‐Author Conditions
Abstract
This paper provides a theoretical explanation for the persistent use of alphabetical name ordering on academic papers in economics. In a context in which market participants are interested in evaluating the relative individual contribution of authors, it is an equilibrium for papers to use alphabetical ordering. Moreover, it is never an equilibrium for authors always to be listed in order of relative contribution. In fact, we show via an example that the alphabetical name ordering norm may be the unique equilibrium, althoug multiple equilibria are also possible. Finally, we charaterize the welfare properties of the noncooperative equilibrium and show it to produce research of lower quality than is optimal and than would be achieved if coauthors were forced to use name ordering to signal relative contribution.
- DOI
- 10.1086/250082
- Volume
- 107
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 859-883
- Language
- en
- Sources
- bibtex:phds-export.bib openalex crossref