Department of Marketing

Barbara L. Gross

Barbara Gross

Barbara Gross received her Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Southern California (USC) in 1992. She also holds a BS in Psychology and an MBA with an emphasis in Marketing. Prior to joining California State University, Northridge in 1994, she held marketing positions with various firms, including a consumer products firm, a financial institution, and a consulting firm.

Since 2006, Barbara has served California State University, Northridge in the Office of the President as Chief of Staff. Prior to joining the President’s Office, she taught Introduction to Marketing Management (MKT304), Consumer Behavior (MKT348), Retailing Management (MKT443), and Small Business Consulting (BUS491). She has particularly enjoyed teaching in the Business PACE program.

Barbara’s service to the field of Marketing includes as an officer of the Marketing Educators’ Association (MEA). She served as MEA President in 2008-09, and served as MEA President-Elect and Conference Program Co-Chair in 2007-08 and as MEA Vice President and Conference Program Co-Chair in 2006-07. The Marketing Educators’ Association is the premiere international organization devoted to advancing the practice and scholarship of marketing education.

Barbara is co-author of a scholarly book, Consumption Values and Market Choices: Theory and Applications (1991, South-Western Publishing), with Jagdish N. Sheth and Bruce I. Newman. She has published in refereed journals and collections in the fields of marketing, business, and education, including:

Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2010), “Instructor Feedback: How Much Do Students Really Want?” Journal of Marketing Education, Vol. 32, pp. 172-181.

College of Business and Economics, 2009-10 Faculty Publication Award, “Best Publication to Improve Classroom Delivery or Curriculum Development”

Ackerman, David S., Barbara L. Gross, and Franck Vigneron (2009), “Peer Observation Reports and Student Evaluations of Teaching: Who Are the Experts? Alberta Journal of Educational Research, forthcoming.
Gross, Barbara L. (2008), “The Experience of Home Foreclosure Distress: Involuntary Loss of Home and Transition of Identity,” European Advances in Consumer Research, pp. 87-93.
Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2007), “I Can Start That JME Manuscript Next Week, Can’t I?: The Task Characteristics Behind Why Faculty Procrastinate,” Journal of Marketing Education, Vol. 29, pp. 97-110.

College of Business and Economics, 2007-08 Faculty Publication Award, “Best Publication to Improve Classroom Delivery or Curriculum Development”

Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2006), “How Many Choices Are Good? Measuring the Effects of Course Choice on Perceptions of a Marketing Option,” Journal of Marketing Education, Vol. 28, pp. 69-80.
Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2005), “My Instructor Made Me Do It: Task Characteristics of Procrastination,” Journal of Marketing Education, Vol. 27, pp. 5-13
College of Business and Economics, 2005-06 Faculty Publication Award, “Best Publication to Improve Classroom Delivery or Curriculum Development”
Gross, Barbara L. (2004), “Advertiser Portrayal of Time in the Late 20th Century U.S.: An Update,” Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 31, pp. 639-645.
Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2003), “Is Time Pressure All Bad? Measuring the Effects of Free Time Availability on Marketing Student Performance and Perceptions,” Marketing Education Review, Vol. 13, pp. 21-32.
College of Business and Economics, 2004-05 Faculty Publication Award, “Best Publication to Improve Classroom Delivery or Curriculum Development”
Dommeyer, Curt J., and Barbara L. Gross (2003), “What Consumers Know and What They Do: An Investigation of Consumer Knowledge, Awareness and Use of Privacy Protection Strategies,” Journal of Interactive Marketing, Vol. 17 (Spring), pp. 34-51.
College of Business and Economics, 2004 Graduate Faculty Research Award
Ackerman, David S., Barbara L. Gross, and Lars Perner (2003), “Instructor, Student, and Employer Perceptions on Preparing Students for Changing Business Landscapes,” Journal of Marketing Education, Vol. 24 (April), pp. 46-56.
College of Business and Economics, 2003-04 Faculty Publication Award, “Best Publication to Improve Classroom Delivery or Curriculum Development”
Ackerman, David S., and Barbara L. Gross (2003), “So Many Choices, So Little Time: Measuring the Effects of Free Choice and Enjoyment on Perceptions of Free Time, Time Pressure, and Time Deprivation,” Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 30, pp. 290-294.
Gross, Barbara L. (1994), “Consumer Responses to Time Pressure: A Qualitative Study with Homeowners in Foreclosure,” Advances in Consumer Research, Vol. 21, 120-125.
Sheth, Jagdish N., Bruce I. Newman, and Barbara L. Gross (1991), “Why We Buy What We Buy: A Theory of Consumption Values,” Journal of Business Research, Vol. 22 (March), 159-170.
Gross, Barbara L., and Jagdish N. Sheth (1989), “Time-Oriented Advertising: A Content Analysis of United States Magazine Advertising, 1890-1988,” Journal of Marketing, Vol. 53 (October), 76-83.
Sheth, Jagdish N., and Barbara L. Gross (1988), “Parallel Development of Marketing and Consumer Behavior: A Historical Perspective,” in Historical Perspectives in Marketing, T. Nevett and R.A. Fullerton, eds., Lexington Books, pp. 9-35.
Gross, Barbara L. (1987), “Time Scarcity: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Implications for Consumer Behavior,” Research in Consumer Behavior, Vol. 2, 1-54

Barbara regularly serves as an article referee for various marketing journals and conferences; and has presented refereed papers at academic conferences, including the Marketing Educators’ Association Conference, the Association for Consumer Research Conference, the Society for Consumer Psychology Conference, the Marketing and Public Policy Conference, and the Conference on Historical Analysis and Research in Marketing.

At Cal State Northridge, Barbara has served on a wide range of Department, College, and University committees. Much of this service has directly involved students. She has served as Director of the Wells Fargo Center for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, and as Faculty Advisor to the campus Chapter of the American Marketing Association. She has participated in the EOP Faculty Mentor Training Program, and was awarded a Polished Apple Award by the University Ambassadors.

In addition, Barbara has been involved in Faculty Governance and served on University and College committees and boards, including the Faculty Senate, the Senate Executive Committee, the Faculty Retreat Planning Committee, the Intercollegiate Athletics Advisory Council, the Campus-Wide Disabilities Issues Board, the Wells Fargo Center Advisory Board, the Research and Grants Committee, the College Advisement Committee, and various awards, review, curriculum and policy, personnel, professional development, and search and screen committees. She has collaborated with faculty from several Colleges in developing and presenting sessions at the Faculty Retreat.

On a personal note, Barbara enjoys spending time with her husband, sons and friends, traveling and sightseeing, hiking and walking, and reading. She also enjoys shopping (she is a marketing professor after all!) and particularly likes to explore unfamiliar stores and retailing forms encountered in her travels.