Christensen Announces Collaborative Project with W. P. Carey School of Business to Enhance Corporate Value.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Christensen, an international capital market advisory firm, announced a joint program with the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and that uses proprietary research procedures to assess the perceived effectiveness of publicly traded firms and their corporate management. The program, known as the Value Perception Model or "VPM", provides benchmarks to measure future progress and assists in the development of action plans that will enhance corporate value. This program will be initially available to companies in Arizona, and then expanded as a part of an ongoing program to develop executive leadership and enhance shareholder value in corporations around the world.

The program will capitalize on the 50 years of management education and thought leadership of the W. P. Carey School of Business' internationally recognized faculty. Further depth will be added to the program by utilizing data and the practical leading edge business solutions that Christensen has provided to many world-class companies for more than 20 years.

"We are pleased to be part of this exciting program for the global business community," said William Glick, chair of the department of management in the W. P. Carey School of Business and a leader in the development of the program. "Our goal in designing this program was to provide a service of very high and tangible value to the business community, while also providing a valuable learning experience for our own students and faculty. Longer-term, we anticipate that the data we gather through this program will provide the foundation for further academic research on the sources of corporate value and effective corporate leadership. We are currently seeking to add corporate partners to participate in and benefit from this research."

The Value Perception Model incorporates Christensen's proven perception research experience to measure how values are being awarded to securities in the marketplace. Rene Vanguestaine, chairman and CEO of Christensen commented, "We are honored to be partnering with ASU on delivering this program to the global business community. We believe that understanding stakeholder perceptions of firms relative to their peers provide the basis for management to understand which issues are most critical in the pursuit of value, and the Value Perception Model is uniquely designed to do that."

The Value Perception Model methodology uses in-depth interviews with key members of the financial community, including analysts and portfolio managers. Questions are both qualitative and quantitative, and responses are benchmarked against those by the Company's own management to identify gaps in perception between management and the financial community. Insights into impact on share value are drawn from the data, and detailed recommendations and a plan of action are developed. Final results of the research will be presented at a joint meeting of the Company's executive management and the Board of Directors, and can be used as tangible evidence of its leadership practices and dedication to the creation of shareholder value.

"Funding this program will prove to be a unique opportunity for companies to not only support the research efforts of the university, but to get something of extremely high value in return," remarked Dr. Glick. "Participation also provides a venue for companies to demonstrate leadership with respect to corporate governance and validate their focus on shareholder value."

About the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University

W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University is ranked 25th nationally for its undergraduate program and 29th for the W. P. Carey MBA. The school is internationally recognized for its thought leadership in several areas, particularly in management, supply chain management, and services marketing. The management department, which is leading the VPM project, is ranked first internationally in top selling management textbooks and third in research performance in top academic journals.

About Christensen

Christensen is a capital market advisory firm with offices in New York, Montreal, Phoenix, Hong Kong and San Francisco. The Company combines Investor Relations, Financial Public Relations and Capital Market intelligence to help global clients achieve and maintain fair valuation for their stock. Christensen has over 20 years of experience and owes its success worldwide to its unique ability to understand both the US and international capital markets, effectively bridge cultures and develop winning strategies for each individual client.