Conflict Management Styles by Multinational Oil Firms in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

Conflicts between oil multinationals and host communities have become a recurring decimal resulting in hostility between the parties and in some cases the shutdown of oil exploration of oil multinationals by host communities in the past decades in Nigeria. This study ascertains the relationship between the use of integrating, dominating, obliging, avoiding, and compromising styles of managing conflicts and the quality of relationship multinational oil firms have with host communities. The questionnaire was used to gather data from 200 top managers and personnel in the public relations department sampled from thirteen (13) multinational oil firms. Data analysis was carried out using multiple regression. It was revealed that the quality of relationship multinational oil firms have with host communities is negative and significantly related to the use of dominating and compromising styles of handling conflict, but positive and significantly related to the use of integrating, obliging, and avoiding styles of handling conflict. The study recommends that multinational oil firms should change from the deployment of dominating style to integrating and obliging styles in handling conflict with host communities.