Centralized

In the centralized model, the social media policy and strategy derives from a single department or person. Often this is a higher-level department in the organization. Features include:

• Consistent
• Not seen as really authentic

Distributed

The distributed option is less coordinated than its centralized counterpart. A pro of this option is that at department-level, solutions and initiatives can be decided and implemented for the sake of message authenticity. This would also ensure a higher responsibility to the departments / individuals. Features include:

• Organic growth
• Authentic
• Experimental
• Not coordinated

Hub-and-spoke

This is seen as a balance between centralized and distributed. From a centralized view comes the tactical framework. Implementation however is the executed in the decentralized units. Features include:

• Policies and procedures come from a central point (often high-level)
• Spreads across the complete organization
• Takes time

Multiple Hub-and-spoke (dandelion)

Similar to the hub and spoke environment, while here the decisions are mate at product-level, brand-level or unit-level, which then are coordinated within this same level. Features include:

• Rules and procedures are decentralized from multiple points
• Spreads across the complete organization
• Takes time

Holistic (honeycomb)

In the holistic option each individual within the organization has the freedom to engage in Social Media initiatives. This isn’t seen as ‘just experimenting for ourselves’, but it is a holistic whole, where individual actions are coordinated, hence the honeycomb comparison.Features include:

• Each employee is empowered
• Unlike organic, employees are organized

Source: Altimeter Group