HARMONIZATION OF ACCOUNTING PRACTICES AMONG IAS FIRMS LISTED IN THE U.S. AND ITS CAPITAL MARKET IMPLICATIONS Mari Paananen B.S., M.B.A. Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS December 2003 APPROVED: Teddy L. Coe, Major Professor Margie Tieslau, Minor Professor K.K. Raman, Committee Member Barbara Merino, Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Accounting Finley Graves, Chair of the Department of Accounting Sandra L. Terrell, Interim Dean of the Robert B. Toulouse School of Graduate Studies