本文报告了results of an empirical analysis of name ordering strategies used for multi-authored academic papers in economics. We distinguish two name �ordering strategies: alphabetic and non �alphabetic. We investigate two questions. (1) What are the determinants of an author group�s name ordering strategy? And (2) Is scientific standing or output affected by the relative alphabetic position of one�s last name, given the dominant usage of alphabetic name ordering? We find that the distribution over the author group of relative costs and benefits of being a first author is clearly accounted for when positioning authors of a group. Economists are correct in perceiving name ordering as a deliberate decision. The usefulness of this deliberation is supported by the answer to our second question: is scientific standing lower for authors whose names rank low in the alphabet? Career prospects are better for academic economists who have high chances to be a first author, though this effect does not become clear instantaneously, but when an economist�s career is more advanced and reputation and visibility might have been achieved already. |
