Articles
DOI DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.vi.737

Social Mechanisms, Interorganizational Coordination, and Collaborative Governance under Supply Uncertainty: Evidence from Automotive Supplier Networks in Thailand

Komn Bhundarak, Yaikaew Silrak, Kittiwat Sirikasemsuk1, Kanogkan Leerojanaprapa
  1. 1 School of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang

Abstract

While prior supply chain research has predominantly framed delivery delays as technical problems solvable through process optimization and root cause analysis, the social mechanisms underlying recurring delivery disruption within supply networks remain undertheorized. This study examines the social mechanisms underlying recurring delivery disruption and investigates how Genba Audit functions as a relational coordination mechanism under supply uncertainty within automotive supplier networks in Thailand. A qualitative multiple-case study was conducted involving five suppliers experiencing recurring delivery delays. Data were collected through delivery reports, operational documents, and field observations from on-site Genba Audits and were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal five social mechanisms underlying delivery disruption: temporal misalignment between ordering systems and production lead times; forecast-driven risk shifting onto suppliers; communication filtering due to fear of penalty; formal reporting systems obscuring relational causes; and self-reinforcing trust erosion cycles. The study further demonstrates that Genba Audit functioned beyond a technical inspection practice by enabling trust-building, tacit knowledge exchange, and collaborative governance—functions not fully achievable through formal coordination systems alone. This study makes three theoretical contributions: (1) identifying five social mechanisms that reframe delivery delays as relational phenomena; (2) reconceptualizing Genba Audit as a relational coordination mechanism; and (3) extending relational coordination theory to asymmetric interorganizational contexts. The findings highlight the importance of social mechanisms and collaborative governance in sustaining delivery continuity under supply uncertainty.

How to Cite

Bhundarak, K., Silrak, Y., Sirikasemsuk, K., & Leerojanaprapa, K. (2026). Social Mechanisms, Interorganizational Coordination, and Collaborative Governance under Supply Uncertainty: Evidence from Automotive Supplier Networks in Thailand. ACTA INNOVATIONS, 61, 98–113. https://doi.org/10.62441/actainnovations.vi.737
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