[Talk-us] Exactly what does an address correspond to?

[Nathan Edgars II]

Presumably the answer is "a mailbox". But we generally map buildings and 
properties long before we map mailboxes, and when used as a location one 
expects an address to be the actual location the mail is intended for, 
not the location of the mailbox (which may be e.g. out on the main road 
or in a central location).

So back to the original question: exactly what should an address 
correspond to in OSM? For example:
*A large resort hotel with one address for the main building/hotel as a 
whole and others for individual buildings.
*A mall with one address, but some large stores have their own addresses.
*Two office buildings that share an address.

How do GIS professionals usually handle these issues?