Common understanding as a basis for coordination

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop further a theoretical framework of common understanding and explore the role of common understanding in coordination. Design/methodology/approach – A constructive action research approach was employed applying abductive reasoning to develop new models with practical relevance. Findings – A new framework of the elements of common understanding and a new theory of communication as a mechanism for coordination. Research limitations/implications – As a longitudinal case study and part of a multiple case‐study, the findings are generalized to theory which should be further developed. Practical implications – Presents a framework for developing shared meanings to achieve better coordination in collaborative service provisioning. Originality/value – Presents a new model of common understanding, a refined approach to coordination.