This means that the data which shows a negative correlation between stock performance and GDP, has less data in it, and its negative correlation is only roughly 24%, while the analysis which shows a positive correlation between stock returns and GDP has a correlation of 66%.

FORBES: John Mauldin's Muddled Stock Return Model

In a release Alinean sent out after the article appeared, entitled "Alinean Research Shows That IT Does Matter, " the firm notes that its research in fact shows no correlation between IT spending per se--at any level--and corporate performance.

CNN: Does IT matter? CEOs and CIOs sound off