Organizational Capabilities and Sustainable Performance in Construction Projects: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In an era increasingly defined by the imperative for sustainable development, the construction sector faces significant challenges, including resource limitations, environmental pressures, and high uncertainty. Within this context, the organizational capabilities of construction projects are widely recognized as a critical endogenous driver, closely linked to sustainable performance outcomes. Yet, empirical research to date has produced inconsistent conclusions, and a systematic understanding of how distinct dimensions of capability influence sustainability remains surprisingly fragmented. To address this gap, we employ a meta-analysis to synthesize 11,881 independent samples from 64 quantitative empirical studies. We systematically examined the overall relationship between organizational capability in construction projects and sustainable performance. It further compares the differential effects of project capabilities and dynamic capabilities across economic, social, and environmental performance. Additionally, the study investigated the moderating effects of key contextual and methodological factors. Our analysis yielded several important findings: (1) A significant, moderately positive correlation exists between organizational capability in construction projects and sustainable performance. (2) Project capability exerts a stronger association with economic and social performance, whereas dynamic capability demonstrates a more pronounced effect on environmental performance. This underscored distinct pathways through which different capability dimensions operate. (3) Moderation analysis revealed that the relationship between organizational capability and sustainable performance is stronger in emerging economies and collectivist cultural contexts. Methodologically, structural equation modeling tended to produce larger effect sizes compared to regression analysis. Although no significant moderation effect emerges across research time points, post-2015 studies generally showed slightly stronger effects. The findings enrich the application of the Resource-Based View and Dynamic Capability Theory within construction project contexts, emphasizing the multidimensional nature of organizational capabilities and their differentiated roles across triple-bottom-line performance. Consequently, this research offers valuable pathways for capability development and a strategic foundation for enhancing managerial practice in construction project management.