Analysing Cross-cultural Communication Patterns in Global Business Environments: Case of the Oil and Gas Industry

This scoping review explores how cultural differences influence communication patterns in global business environments, with a specific focus on the oil and gas industry. Guided by the Arskey and O’Malley (2005) framework, 23 peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2024 were systematically reviewed to addressed three core questions: How do cultural differences affect communication in the oil and gas sector? What are the common communication challenges faced by multinational corporations? Which strategies enhance cross-cultural communication in this context? Findings indicate that power distance, individualism versus collectivism and communication context (high vs. low) significantly shape interactions across multinational teams. Language barriers, cultural misinterpretations and decision-making mismatches emerged as dominant challenges. Effective strategies identified include cultural intelligence (CQ) training, adaptive leadership, standardised communication protocols and multilingual tools. The review highlights the need for industry-specific empirical research, particularly in the oil and gas sector, and stresses the importance of culturally responsive communication to enhance global team performance and organisational success.