DIGITAL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION IS PRIMARILY A HUMAN CHALLENGE, NOT A DIGITAL ONE

Abstract

Digital transformation (DX) failures are more often rooted in organizational and human factors than in technological inadequacy. This paper shows that the frequently cited 70% failure rate of DX initiatives is closely related to insufficient attention to shared vision, stakeholder alignment, change leadership, continuous learning, and organizational culture. The paper integrates David Rogers’ digital transformation roadmap, John Kotter’s change leadership framework, Peter Senge’s learning organization principles, and Nigel Vaz’s emphasis on learning, unlearning, and relearning. To complement this conceptual synthesis, the paper includes an exploratory descriptive analysis of four course-based analytical tasks completed by master’s-level students with substantial professional experience. The descriptive findings are consistent with the theoretical emphasis on strategic coherence, psychological safety, problem validation, learning capability, and structural alignment. The paper therefore frames digital business transformation primarily as an organizational challenge in which technology functions as an enabler rather than the primary determinant of success.