International Journal of Advanced Research and Publications (IJARP) 45 Volume 1 Issue 2, Aug 2017 www.ijarp.org Scrutinizing Organisational Communication Through Work-Environment, Power And Politics In Nigeria Justine John Dyikuk Graduate, Centre for the Study of African Culture and Communication (CESACC), Catholic Institute of West Africa (CIWA), Port Harcourt - Editor, Bauchi Caritas Catholic Newspaper and Communication‟s Director, Bauchi Diocese. St. John‟s Cathedral, P.O. Box 17, Bauchi State, Nigeria justinejohndyikuk@gmail.com Abstract: The dynamics of organisational communication play a role in any organisation. In-between organisational communication are power and politics. This paper used the qualitative method to ascertain the place of power and politics in organisations in Nigeria. Through the systematic thinking theory which was used as theoretical framework, the study discovered that paying workers, creating a conducive work-environment and capacity building are crucial to enhancing a good organisational communication. While acknowledging the role of unionism in fighting for worker‟s welfare, the paper established that power and politics are game-changers in any work-environment. Keywords: Organisation, communication, Politics, Nigeria. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background Power and politics play a huge role within the environment of every organisation. From deciding how institutions are formed to how workers are recruited, there is a lot of communication and power-play that takes place. It is the same with governing how decisions are made as well as how employees interact with one another. In the formal and informal sectors, big and small organisations, the impact of power depends on how employers relate with their employees. Chances are that employees use positive or negative power to influence others in the workplace. Politics may directly influence who has the power and determine whether the overall culture of the workplace encourages productivity or not (Zeiger, 2014, p.1). The narratives and insights that gave rise to the concept of organisational communication among scholars are diverse. The idea or understanding of organisational communication in institutions such as companies, schools, churches, universities, government agencies, student clubs or any other form of institution or organisation came to the fore around the latter part of the 20 th century (Eisenberg & Riley, 2001 cited in (eds) Jablin & Putnam). From a world bounded by instruments, scales, networks and central tendencies, a new arena tied around ethnographies, performances, tales and texts emerged. IŶ todays ďusiŶess world, the workplace or environment is the most critical factor in keeping an employee satisfied (Ajala, 2012, p. 141). We shall discover how and why. 1.2 Statement of the Problem & Aim of Study Nigeria has over 90,000 Federal Civil Servants (Channels Television, 2017) not to talk about workers in the informal sector who have the capacity to produce 58 percent to the economy (Yuguda cited in National Planning Index, 2013). It is also believed that 75 percent of Nigeria‟s population work in the informal sector (Awoyemi cited in Chima, 2016). The sector‟s size, structures, processes and practices are critical for economic creation and poverty alleviation because it is an important source of livelihoods for individuals, families and communities (Toure cited in National Planning Index, 2013). However, the informal sector is generally characterised by absence of official protection and recognition, non-coverage by minimum wage legislation and social security system, predominance of own account and self-employment work, absence of trade unions, low income, low job-security and absence of stipends from institutional sources (Chima, 2016). The proposed N 96,000 minimum wage (Ajaero cited in Ahiuma-Young, 2017) against the erstwhile non- implemented N 18,000 further bridges communication between workers and the government which puts organisational communication in jeopardy. This has led to incessant strike actions and other such face-offs between employers and employees. It is common place to hear people iŶ Nigeria ŵakiŶg the reŵark: This is not part of our Đulture. A statement like that suggests institutional hiccups or societal change of values. The constant debates about bribery and corruption in Nigeria either approves or disapproves the place of power and politics in both the private and public sectors of life. Because wrongful manipulation introduces hazards that make the environments unsafe and impede the productivity rate of the worker, (Ajala, 2012, p. 141) this study aims at providing additional literature on how power and politics affects organisational communication in the work-place in Nigeria. The paper also attempts a conceptual analysis through an empirical understanding of the formal and informal sectors in Nigeria. It hopes to access organisation and its environment, power and politics in the light of communicative perspectives and organisational culture in the country with a view to bridging the gap between employers and employees for national growth. 1.3 Theoretical Framework This study adopts systems or systematic thinking theory as theoretical framework. The theory stresses three points. First,