Stories by Ann Bednarz

Nick Carr's IT Doesn't Matter still matters

Nick Carr's article "IT Doesn't Matter" was published in in Harvard Business Review in May 2003 and ignited an industry firestorm for its perceived dismissal of the strategic value of IT.

Q&A: Nick Carr on 10th anniversary of 'IT Doesn't Matter'

Nick Carr rocked the tech world with his controversial essay in the May 2003 issue of the Harvard Business Review, titled "IT Doesn't Matter." Carr claimed companies were overspending on IT and that the competitive advantage to be gained by tech investments was shrinking as technology became more commoditized and accessible to everyone. On the 10-year anniversary of the article's publication, Carr talked with Network World's Ann Bednarz about what he got right, what he got wrong, and how the piece remains relevant today.

IT pros leave money on the table, job site finds

When a job offer arrives, a majority of IT pros accept it without asking for more pay, according to Dice.com. If candidates were to negotiate higher salaries, they could expect a bump in the neighborhood of 5%, the IT careers specialist estimates.

In Pictures: CEO pay. Cash, stock awards, perks add up to big pay packages

Median pay for tech CEOs in 2012 was $10.7 million, according to Network World’s analysis of CEO compensation in the tech industry.

March Madness streaming-content bans don't apply to CEOs: study

To ban or not to ban? The question comes up every year as March Madness approaches and companies fret about the potential for sluggish networks and lost productivity if employees tune in to games played during work hours.

IBM's Rometty nets $16.2 million in first year as CEO

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty earned a $16.2 million pay package in 2012, while her predecessor, Sam Palmisano, made more than double that for his role as chairman and senior adviser to IBM.

10 trends shaping IT hiring in 2013

Concerns about the economy and budget battles on Capitol Hill have put a damper on the IT job scene, but not enough to thwart expansion.

Best Buy cancels telework program

First Yahoo, now Best Buy. In the midst of a corporate restructuring, the electronics retailer has canceled its flexible work program and expects corporate employees to put in traditional 40-hour work weeks at its headquarters in Richfield, Minn.

Is Yahoo's telework ban shortsighted or savvy? Data says both

Employee morale will plummet, key people will quit, and efforts to enhance collaboration will backfire, critics said of CEO Marissa Mayer's decision to end telecommuting at Yahoo. But not all data comes to the same conclusions.

Etsy gets crafty with big data

Handmade marketplace Etsy has grown to 800,000 sellers and 40+ million monthly visitors. All that activity generates enormous quantities of data, which Etsy uses to drive site improvements.

In Pictures: 25 techie Valentine's Day gift ideas

From subtle geekery to blatantly techie devices, Valentine's Day gifts suit a range of personalities

Tech salaries jump 5.3%, bonuses flat

Average salaries for tech pros climbed 5.3% to $85,619 last year, up from $81,327 in 2011. It's the largest salary jump in more than a decade, according to career site Dice.

IBM cements 20 years of patent dominance

IBM earned 6,478 utility patents last year, topping the list of patent winners for the 20th year in a row, according to data from IFI CLAIMS Patent Services. With its record haul, Big Blue bested its 2011 patent tally by 5%.

Google’s patent count spikes 170%, beats Apple’s 2012 tally

Google kicked its inventors into high gear in 2012, earning 1,151 U.S. patents and more than doubling its 2011 patent count.

2013 IT outlook: Innovation trumps cost-cutting

The economic recovery is moving at an unsteady pace, but the emphasis on cost-cutting that dominated IT agendas in recent years is sharing the spotlight with a more interesting imperative: innovation.