Bridging decoupling gaps: the role of NGOS in combating forced labor in global supply chains

Purpose To understand how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can remedy the corporate decoupling that perpetuates forced labor in global supply chains. We develop the Synergistic Recoupling Framework to theorize how and when NGO interventions bridge the underlying policy-practice and means-ends gaps. Design/methodology/approach An integrative, theory elaboration approach is adopted, drawing on a systematic literature review of 87 peer-reviewed articles. The literature is analyzed through the lens of decoupling theory to capture the causal mechanisms underpinning NGO effectiveness. Findings Seven core NGO interventions are identified and grouped into internal support and external pressure roles. The literature frames these roles through two competing lenses: an instrumental view of NGOs as compliance enablers and a critical view of them as political actors challenging structural exploitation. Internal roles primarily address means-ends decoupling, while external roles primarily address policy-practice decoupling. We synthesize these into the Synergistic Recoupling Framework, showing that recoupling is achieved only when high-intensity internal support and external pressure are deployed simultaneously. Research limitations/implications As a conceptual study, the framework is literature-derived and now requires empirical testing of when concurrent recoupling holds. Originality/value Our framework elaborates decoupling theory, reconceptualizing decoupling as a dynamic institutional failure resolved through concurrent recoupling. It therefore challenges the conventional watchdog versus partner dichotomy on the role of NGOs, highlighting that resolving the dual decoupling of forced labor requires a strategic synergy of internal and external roles rather than a singular intervention type.