In fact, I expect that many a future CEO will have a resume with a strong technology background, if not a stint in IT, as strategies will be increasingly dependent on effective utilization of technology.

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The potential about-face in Yahoo's spending plans falls in line with Ms. Mayer's technology-heavy background, said Ron Josey, an analyst with research firm ThinkEquity, but it still caught some investors by surprise.

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Perhaps they think that outsiders will be better at managing the convergence of different industries: a retailing company might gain an edge by recruiting somebody with a background in information technology, for example.

ECONOMIST: Schumpeter