CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Organizations in Nigeria operate in a turbulent socio-economic environment marked by ethnic plurality, volatile labour relations, weak institutions, infrastructural deficits and intense competition for scarce resources. Such conditions make conflict a near permanent feature of organizational life, and the way in which such conflict is managed has become a critical determinant of whether enterprises survive, stagnate or fail. Conflict Resolution and Organizational Sustainability in Nigeria: The study adopts a conceptual and systematic narrative review approach by integrating classical and contemporary literature on organizational conflict, conflict resolution strategies and the multidimensional construct of organizational sustainability, and contextualizing this integration within the peculiarities of the Nigerian business environment. Building on conflict theory, the dual-concern model, systems theory and stakeholder theory, the paper proposes an integrative conceptual framework and a set of testable propositions connecting integrative (collaborative) conflict resolution strategies to the economic, social, environmental and institutional dimensions of sustainability. The review shows that destructive, avoidance-oriented conflict-handling strategies erode trust, depress productivity, accelerate staff turnover and damage organizational legitimacy, while constructive, dialogue-based and institutionalized conflict-handling mechanisms enhance innovation, employee commitment, stakeholder confidence and long-term viability. The paper concludes that conflict resolution is not a peripheral administrative task, but a strategic capability central to organizational sustainability in Nigeria. Among other measures, it recommends institutionalization of structured grievance and alternative dispute resolution systems; capacity building in conflict-management competencies for managers; strengthening of collective bargaining frameworks; and embedding of conflict sensitivity within corporate governance and sustainability strategy .