Communication and Conflict Management: towards the Rhetoric of Integrative Communication for Sustainability in Nigeria's Oil and Gas Industry

Abstract

Given the tempestuous nature of corporate-community relations in Nigeria, this paper contends that integrative and distributed communication can be a platform for managing conflict in the conflict-ridden oil and gas industry in Nigeria. Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is habitually known for controversy and conflict as a consequence of mode of relations and communication amongst companies and wider stakeholders. Specifically, the wider stakeholders – the community people – have constantly accused the companies of not putting their views into consideration during corporate communication process as well as not living up to their billings in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Against this backdrop, this paper proposes transcending this dilemma – conflict – via integrative communication, which naturally uses deliberation and mutual understanding grounded on the anvil of participation and shared leadership to bring about transformation. The methodology used in this paper is based on literature review of studies on the subject matter of conflict, communication and oil and gas sector in Nigeria. This paper hopes to deepen as well as extend knowledge on conflict management and communication in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria by critically appraising perspectives shared in the literature reviewed for possible change in modus operandi. A conceptual framework – integrative communication – is deduced from the literature, which can facilitate a process of re-conceptualising conflict management for sustainability.

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