The 16th annual International Society of Franchising (ISoF) Conerence, Franchise Systems at the Turning Point of Maturity, was held February 9 and 10, 2002, at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort in Orlando, Florida. Forty-three researchers attended the conference including 25 from the U.S.; five from the U.K.; four from France, two each from Finland and Malaysia; and one each from Australia, Austria, Germany, Poland and South Africa. Dr. Joyce Young from Indiana State University served as program chair, and Cheryl R. Babcock, CFE from the University of St. Thomas served as arrangements chair and executive director of the ISoF.

Two best paper awards were presented at the ISoF conference. The ISoF panel of judges presented their Best Paper Award to James A. Brickley, Ph.D., University of Rochester for his paper, Royalty Rates and Upfront Fees in Share Contracts: Evidence from Franchising.

On behalf of the IFA Educational Foundation panel of judges, their Director of Research, Kathryn Morgan, presented The Arthur Karp Research Award for "Best Applied Paper" and a cash prize to John E. Clarkin, University of South Carolina/University of Stirling, Scotland, for the paper that he co-authored with Robert Hasbrouck, Ph.D., College of Charleston and Peter Rosa, Ph.D., University of Stirling, Scotland, entitled Predicting the Winners of the Franchise 500.