Digital transformation expert Susan Jackson, who has spearheaded global HR technology implementations for major corporations including The Coca-Cola Company and The Est\u00e9e Lauder Companies, has revealed her strategic framework for preventing international rollout failures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drawing from over 15 years of experience across 80 countries, Jackson argues that the high failure rate of large-scale initiatives is rarely a technical issue but rather a human one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her findings, shared in July 2026, suggest that success in the technology sector depends heavily on understanding cultural nuance and pre-existing human processes before any code is deployed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jackson\u2019s track record includes managing complex talent technology transformations for AIG, American Express, and Coca-Cola Enterprises. She has overseen the integration of enterprise systems like Workday in diverse regions including North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By focusing on human behavior rather than just software capabilities, she has managed to navigate the common pitfalls that often derail billion-dollar digital shifts. Her insights arrive at a time when companies are increasingly looking toward AI and quantum tech<\/a> to streamline operations, often forgetting the human cost of rapid change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The stakes for global tech rollouts have never been higher, yet the success rates remain stubbornly low. According to research from McKinsey & Company, nearly 70 percent of large-scale digital transformations fail to meet their intended goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These failures are typically attributed to cultural resistance, a lack of transparent communication, or a fundamental misalignment within the leadership team. Susan Jackson\u2019s experience suggests that these issues are exacerbated when firms attempt to force a “one-size-fits-all” solution onto a diverse global workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jackson contends that technology does not fail because the code is broken; it fails because the people using it were not considered during the design phase. In regions spanning over 80 countries, she observed that local teams often view new software as a burden rather than a tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This friction is a primary driver of the high failure rates seen in the industry. Without a strategy that prioritizes the human element, even the most advanced HR systems can become expensive shelfware that employees actively avoid or misuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the core challenges highlighted by Susan Jackson is the disparity between how fast technology scales and how slowly human habits change. While a software update can be pushed to thousands of devices instantly, changing the daily workflow of a team in Tokyo versus a team in Buenos Aires requires a more patient approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This lag often leads to “shadow IT,” where employees revert to old spreadsheets or manual processes because the new system does not fit their cultural or operational reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In her previous roles at The Est\u00e9e Lauder Companies and Coca-Cola Enterprises, Jackson witnessed how “technology will only amplify what already exists.” If an organization has a broken process or a toxic culture, implementing a high-tech platform like Workday will only make those flaws more visible and harder to manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This realization led to her first cardinal rule: organizations must master their existing human processes before they even consider buying a software license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first rule for global success involves a deep dive into the “why” and “how” of current operations. Many executives make the mistake of assuming that new technology will automatically fix an inefficient workflow. Jackson argues that this is backward thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before a rollout begins, leaders must map out every step of the current process and identify where friction exists. Implementing a global system on top of a messy process only creates a more expensive, digital version of that mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This approach requires a level of transparency that many organizations find uncomfortable. It involves admitting where current systems are failing and engaging with the employees who are “in the trenches.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n By documenting these processes across different business units, leaders can identify which aspects of the technology need to be customized for specific regions and which can remain standardized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This preventative measure is similar to how financial institutions must now worry about how finance must move on-chain<\/a> to stay relevant; it is about modernizing the foundation before building the skyscrapers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A significant portion of Susan Jackson\u2019s career has been spent in the field, working directly with local leadership in more than 80 countries. She found that what works for a HR department in New York rarely translates perfectly to a team in Singapore without adjustments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cultural alignment is not just about translating the user interface into a local language; it is about understanding local labor laws, communication styles, and even holidays that might affect system usage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When Jackson managed rollouts for AIG and American Express, she prioritized local “champions” who could bridge the gap between global headquarters and regional offices. These individuals provide the necessary context to ensure the technology feels like a local asset rather than a foreign imposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe danger of scaling technology faster than people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Susan Jackson defines the process before the platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reducing friction through cultural alignment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n