Dhruv Grewal
Babson College
“Professor Dhruv Grewal is an exceptional scholar and educator who has had a transformative impact on students and colleagues alike. His ability to integrate cutting-edge research into practical classroom lessons makes him a favorite among students. His teaching style is engaging and innovative, recently incorporating the latest technological advancements, such as AI, into his courses. Beyond his academic prowess, Professor Grewal is a mentor and leader, always willing to help others achieve their goals, fostering a collaborative and supportive environment for both students and faculty. He is a highly respected figure in both academia and industry.” – Krista Hill Cummings, Associate Professor of Marketing
Dhruv Grewal, 61, is the Toyota Chair in Commerce and Electronic Business and a Professor of Marketing at Babson College. He is listed in The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds, Thompson Reuters 2014, and in Clarivate™ Highly Cited Researcher lists for 2020–2023 lists.
He has published in a host of marketing, business, and psychology journals, prompting more than 99,000 citations on Google Scholar. He currently serves on numerous editorial review boards, such as Journal of Marketing (associate editor), Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (area editor), Journal of Retailing (advisory board and ERB), Journal of Services Research, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Public Policy & Marketing (area editor).
He is a 2022 AMA Fellow and was awarded The Christopher Lovelock Career Contribution Award in 2024, the AMA HigherEd SIG Lifetime Award in 2024, the 2023 AMA Retail & Pricing SIG’s Service Award, 2020 (Inaugural) Bala Iyer Award for Lifetime Achievement in Scholarship (Babson College), 2017 Robert B. Clarke Outstanding Educator Award, and many others. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the Academy of Marketing Science. He has coauthored the textbooks Marketing, M Series: Marketing, Retailing Management, and Marketing Research.
He has won many awards for his teaching, including the 2005 Sherwin-Williams Distinguished Teaching Award, Society for Marketing Advances. He has mentored many doctoral students and young faculty and was awarded the 2021 AMA Retail & Pricing SIG’s Mentorship Award. He has taught executive seminars/courses and/or worked on research projects with numerous firms, such as Dell, ExxonMobil, IRI, McKinsey, Motorola, Nextel, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, and Sherwin Williams.
BACKGROUND
At current institution since what year? 2000
Education:
- Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
- M.B.A., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- B. Commerce, University of Delhi, Delhi
List of Undergraduate courses you teach: Marketing Principles, Marketing Research
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when … I taught my first class as a Ph.D. candidate. I found it exhilarating interacting with students who were deeply interested in learning about marketing, and who wanted ideas about how their careers could benefit from applying these concepts. Discussions pertaining to how to apply the various marketing concepts, as well as the new applications brought up by my students, continue to be very rewarding.
What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? I am focused primarily on technology and AI-related issues. One project focuses on how important in-store digital display ads are for enhancing purchases of advertised products. Another project seeks to understand generative AI better. It is important to distinguish algorithm aversion (undervaluing output created by AI) from human appreciation (overvaluing output created by human creators) and to determine when (and in which circumstances) AI outperforms human creators. I am deeply interested in understanding the promises (e.g., new skills learned, time and energy saved), and the perils (e.g., biases, skills lost, ethical concerns, inequity in sharing of benefits) associated with AI.
If I weren’t a business school professor, I’d be … a founder of a marketing research firm. I have always been a problem-solver, and a marketing research career would allow me to tackle novel problems and turn problems into opportunities for clients. Alternatively, I would have enjoyed working for a multinational firm, managing projects around the globe.
What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? I am learning-centric myself; as a professor, I am also student-centric. I can remember classes that I took that stood out—those in which the lessons was clear, and the professors were fun and engaging. I continually develop and update my course content, including thinking of applications to liven up the content so that students can recognize the relevance of the concepts they are studying and apply them in ways them help them stand out in the job search process and excel in their careers.
One word that describes my first time teaching: Exciting!
Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: An academic career is a 365-day career, and you need to work carefully to develop a healthy work–life balance.
Professor I most admire and why: My dissertation advisor, Kent Monroe. His meticulous style of research and teaching highlighted the importance of being a subject expert in the domain in which you teach.
TEACHING BUSINESS SCHOOL STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? Being exposed to their sincere interest in learning new and cutting-edge ideas and practice.
What is most challenging? The desire to implement the concepts right away.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Inquisitive
In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Inattentive
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as … Fair
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? Reading, watching movies, and walking. I enjoy reading fiction of all genres, watching movies from all over the world using a variety of streaming options, and walking in my neighborhood (and in different cities that my travel takes me).
How will you spend your summer? I will travel to different areas to learn (and share my ideas) and to experience the city, country and culture. Many of these trips also support my efforts to engage in research with collaborators and develop new collaborations dedicated to exciting new areas, such as AI, robots, digital marketing, and retailing.
Favorite place(s) to vacation: I have enjoyed visiting a lot of fun cities … London, Stockholm, Sydney, San Diego, Oslo, Barcelona, Lisbon, Prague, Istanbul, Honolulu, Monterrey. Each has its own charm.
Favorite book(s): Frank Herbert’s Dune and the various books that form the Dune Series. In addition to being engaging science fiction, the series draws attention to various inequities and resource scarcities (e.g., water).
What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? The Marvel character movies (e.g., Spider-Man, X-Men, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Avengers), DC character movies (Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman), and the Star Trek Movies and television shows. I have always enjoyed reading comics (from my early childhood days), and it is great to see them now on the big screen. The advancements in special effects are truly amazing!
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? The Beatles: They were a truly imaginative and inspirational pop and rock group that experimented and integrated numerous music styles.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this … AI. I think AI is going to change the future of marketing, business, and society. I am delighted to see how my college is actively embracing AI in the curriculum, and to see so many of my colleagues working on all dimensions of AI.
In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at … addressing societal grand challenges while being stakeholder-focused. They need to prioritize the welfare of the entire planet.
I’m grateful for … the wonderful opportunities being a professor has provided me. The ability to teach and research interesting and fascinating topics (from technology, AI, robots, and digital media, to retailing, services, and pricing, and the list goes on), interact with bright and curious students, conduct research with researchers from around the globe, and engage with industry leaders. Most of all, I am grateful to have wonderful and supportive colleagues—to name a few at Babson College, Anne Roggeveen, Tom Davenport, Vicki Crittenden, Lauren Beitelspacher, Ellie Kyung, Anjali Bal, and Krista Hill—and a very supportive family.
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