Standardization as a cross-project connector: loose couplings and connectivity in construction innovation

Construction projects are organized in loosely coupled systems, where fragmentation and weak cross-project continuity hinder learning and innovation. Standardization has been promoted as a remedy to these systemic disconnects, yet it embodies a fundamental duality: it can act both as a driver and a barrier to innovation. This study examines how standardization can function as a cross-project connector in construction through the combined lenses of loose coupling and connectivity. Drawing on a two-year participatory case study of Building Services Engineering (BSE) in a large Swedish construction contractor, we identify how organizational and contextual conditions shape three interrelated dimensions of connectivity: contested, fragile, and unpredictable. The findings demonstrate that standardization operates as a negotiated connector rather than a fixed coordination mechanism. It simultaneously enables repeatability and adaptation, while also constraining systemic learning. The inherent tension between stability and flexibility reveals how standardization’s dual role both enables and limits innovation across projects. We argue that realizing its potential for connectivity and innovation requires continuous maintenance of linkages over time, positioning standardization not as a static technical instrument, but as an evolving organizational practice embedded in the dynamics of connectivity.