Marissa Mayer: Saviour or Symbol?

In the tech world, probably more than any other sector, a charismatic and visionary CEO is all important. Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ:YHOO), a company with an already ailing business model, has failed again and again in this key area. With last week's appointment of Marissa Mayer, a former Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG) executive, the company is hoping to change this pattern.

Mayer's key attribute in her tenure at the company so far has been her personae. She is a breath of fresh air to the tech industry. Her femininity alone, makes her...