, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE TO ANSWER YOUR ASSIGNMENT
QUESTION 1
1. Consult Theme 4: Practicing corporate communication in the South African context. Case
study: Shopping centres – the epitome of collaboration and answer the question that follows:
1.1. You are the corporate communication professional for On the Ground Development. The
organisation is aspiring to develop a new mall in Mamelodi. Based on the insights that you have
obtained from the above webinar, explain how you will engage the community in the planning
phase of this proposed development. As part of your answer, ensure that you include ideas from
postmodernism, the constitutive role of communication and the paradigmatic shifts in corporate
communication.
Engaging the Mamelodi Community in the Planning of a New Mall: A Contemporary
Corporate Communication Approach
Developing a new mall in Mamelodi presents not only a structural and economic project but a social
and communicative opportunity for meaningful stakeholder involvement. As the corporate
communication professional for On the Ground Development, my role extends far beyond informing
the public. Instead, it involves engaging the community in a way that reflects the evolving paradigms
of corporate communication. Drawing on insights from the “Shopping Centres – the Epitome of
Collaboration” case study and rooted in postmodern thought, this approach embraces the constitutive
role of communication and the shift from linear, managerial communication models to dynamic,
dialogic, and co-creative engagements (COM2611, 2024). The planning phase of this development is
the critical moment to embody these principles and ensure that the mall becomes not only a
commercial asset but a reflection of the community’s values, needs, and identity.
From Top-Down Management to Bottom-Up Dialogue
Traditionally, corporate communication in development projects followed a top-down model, where
decisions were made by executives and only communicated to the public once finalised. This
approach has become increasingly inadequate in diverse, participatory societies such as South Africa,
where community input is not only valuable but essential. The paradigmatic shift from top-down to
bottom-up communication demands active listening, community inclusion, and a recognition that
meaning is created in interaction, not isolation (COM2611, 2024).
In Mamelodi, a bottom-up approach begins by engaging the community at the earliest stage of
planning. Rather than presenting a pre-designed blueprint, On the Ground Development would
initiate a series of consultative engagements, inviting residents, local leaders, entrepreneurs, and
youth groups to contribute their visions for the mall. This shift acknowledges that the community is
not just a passive recipient of development but a co-creator of its purpose and identity
QUESTION 1
1. Consult Theme 4: Practicing corporate communication in the South African context. Case
study: Shopping centres – the epitome of collaboration and answer the question that follows:
1.1. You are the corporate communication professional for On the Ground Development. The
organisation is aspiring to develop a new mall in Mamelodi. Based on the insights that you have
obtained from the above webinar, explain how you will engage the community in the planning
phase of this proposed development. As part of your answer, ensure that you include ideas from
postmodernism, the constitutive role of communication and the paradigmatic shifts in corporate
communication.
Engaging the Mamelodi Community in the Planning of a New Mall: A Contemporary
Corporate Communication Approach
Developing a new mall in Mamelodi presents not only a structural and economic project but a social
and communicative opportunity for meaningful stakeholder involvement. As the corporate
communication professional for On the Ground Development, my role extends far beyond informing
the public. Instead, it involves engaging the community in a way that reflects the evolving paradigms
of corporate communication. Drawing on insights from the “Shopping Centres – the Epitome of
Collaboration” case study and rooted in postmodern thought, this approach embraces the constitutive
role of communication and the shift from linear, managerial communication models to dynamic,
dialogic, and co-creative engagements (COM2611, 2024). The planning phase of this development is
the critical moment to embody these principles and ensure that the mall becomes not only a
commercial asset but a reflection of the community’s values, needs, and identity.
From Top-Down Management to Bottom-Up Dialogue
Traditionally, corporate communication in development projects followed a top-down model, where
decisions were made by executives and only communicated to the public once finalised. This
approach has become increasingly inadequate in diverse, participatory societies such as South Africa,
where community input is not only valuable but essential. The paradigmatic shift from top-down to
bottom-up communication demands active listening, community inclusion, and a recognition that
meaning is created in interaction, not isolation (COM2611, 2024).
In Mamelodi, a bottom-up approach begins by engaging the community at the earliest stage of
planning. Rather than presenting a pre-designed blueprint, On the Ground Development would
initiate a series of consultative engagements, inviting residents, local leaders, entrepreneurs, and
youth groups to contribute their visions for the mall. This shift acknowledges that the community is
not just a passive recipient of development but a co-creator of its purpose and identity
