COM2611
ASSIGNMENT 3 SEMESTER 1 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 15 MAY 2025
,COM2611 – Applied Organisational Communication
Assignment 3 – Semester 1, 2025
Unique Number: [Insert your unique number]
Due Date: 15 May 2025
Question 1: Community Engagement Strategy for the Mamelodi Mall Development
As the corporate communication practitioner at On the Ground Development, the
successful execution of the proposed Mamelodi Mall relies significantly on effective,
participatory communication strategies. Informed by the insights from the webinar
“Shopping Centres – The Epitome of Collaboration”, this strategy adopts principles from
postmodern communication theory, the constitutive perspective of communication, and
paradigm shifts in corporate communication. The objective is to foster mutual trust,
collaboration, and long-term sustainability through meaningful community involvement.
1. Applying Postmodern Principles in Engagement
Postmodernism in organisational communication challenges traditional top-down
models, advocating for inclusivity, multiplicity of voices, and shared power in the
communication process. Given the socio-cultural and economic diversity in Mamelodi,
this approach is especially relevant. Rather than viewing the community as a passive
audience, the strategy positions residents as equal partners in the mall’s development.
Implementation Steps:
Facilitate collaborative planning sessions, inviting input from various community
sectors, including youth, informal traders, small business owners, and local
leaders.
Create multilingual communication materials and platforms to ensure
accessibility and inclusivity.
Establish open dialogue forums that allow participants to voice concerns and
suggestions, reinforcing the idea that the mall reflects the community’s
aspirations and identity.
, I will acknowledge that multiple truths and realities exist in the community. For
instance, informal traders may have different expectations from formal
businesses. Therefore, a flexible and adaptable engagement strategy is
essential.
This inclusive approach ensures that the mall is not only economically viable but socially
accepted and rooted in local values.
2. Applying the Constitutive Role of Communication
The constitutive perspective sees communication not merely as a tool for information
transmission but as a process that creates relationships, shared meaning, and
organizational identity. Communication, in this view, constitutes reality and social
structures.
Using this approach:
I will facilitate dialogue sessions with local leaders, educators, religious
groups, and youth representatives to co-construct a shared vision for the mall.
Communication platforms such as community radio, WhatsApp groups,
Facebook community pages, and local newsletters will be used to ensure two-
way communication, where feedback is not only encouraged but visibly acted
upon.
For instance, if community members express a need for a library or youth center
within the mall, this feedback will be relayed to developers and considered in the
architectural planning stage.
This strategy will empower the community to see themselves as partners in the project
and foster a sense of ownership and accountability.
ASSIGNMENT 3 SEMESTER 1 2025
UNIQUE NO.
DUE DATE: 15 MAY 2025
,COM2611 – Applied Organisational Communication
Assignment 3 – Semester 1, 2025
Unique Number: [Insert your unique number]
Due Date: 15 May 2025
Question 1: Community Engagement Strategy for the Mamelodi Mall Development
As the corporate communication practitioner at On the Ground Development, the
successful execution of the proposed Mamelodi Mall relies significantly on effective,
participatory communication strategies. Informed by the insights from the webinar
“Shopping Centres – The Epitome of Collaboration”, this strategy adopts principles from
postmodern communication theory, the constitutive perspective of communication, and
paradigm shifts in corporate communication. The objective is to foster mutual trust,
collaboration, and long-term sustainability through meaningful community involvement.
1. Applying Postmodern Principles in Engagement
Postmodernism in organisational communication challenges traditional top-down
models, advocating for inclusivity, multiplicity of voices, and shared power in the
communication process. Given the socio-cultural and economic diversity in Mamelodi,
this approach is especially relevant. Rather than viewing the community as a passive
audience, the strategy positions residents as equal partners in the mall’s development.
Implementation Steps:
Facilitate collaborative planning sessions, inviting input from various community
sectors, including youth, informal traders, small business owners, and local
leaders.
Create multilingual communication materials and platforms to ensure
accessibility and inclusivity.
Establish open dialogue forums that allow participants to voice concerns and
suggestions, reinforcing the idea that the mall reflects the community’s
aspirations and identity.
, I will acknowledge that multiple truths and realities exist in the community. For
instance, informal traders may have different expectations from formal
businesses. Therefore, a flexible and adaptable engagement strategy is
essential.
This inclusive approach ensures that the mall is not only economically viable but socially
accepted and rooted in local values.
2. Applying the Constitutive Role of Communication
The constitutive perspective sees communication not merely as a tool for information
transmission but as a process that creates relationships, shared meaning, and
organizational identity. Communication, in this view, constitutes reality and social
structures.
Using this approach:
I will facilitate dialogue sessions with local leaders, educators, religious
groups, and youth representatives to co-construct a shared vision for the mall.
Communication platforms such as community radio, WhatsApp groups,
Facebook community pages, and local newsletters will be used to ensure two-
way communication, where feedback is not only encouraged but visibly acted
upon.
For instance, if community members express a need for a library or youth center
within the mall, this feedback will be relayed to developers and considered in the
architectural planning stage.
This strategy will empower the community to see themselves as partners in the project
and foster a sense of ownership and accountability.
