Abstract
Studying the leadership roles in a company and analyzing its organizational structure provides a better understanding of the way the business operates and reaches the goals according to its mission. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida is a large company that holds a dominant position in the insurance market. The organization provides an excellent example of a firm with a functional, structural model, in accordance to which employees are grouped based on their specialization and responsibilities of the management are clearly defined. The key positions in top-level leadership of the firm are held by the chief executive officer, who is also the president of the company, and vice president in the head of the company’s departments.
Analysis
The structure of a company determines how the organization operates, outlining how different processes and activities are directed to achieve goals. The way a business is set up depends on its mission and the objectives it is aimed to meet. Studying organizational models of different firms allows a better understanding of their functioning and provides information about their leadership. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, also known as Florida Blue, is a large mutual insurance holding company that provides health insurance in the state of Florida. This paper aims to study the organizational structure of Florida Blue and investigate the specific roles and responsibilities of the key leadership figures of the company.
The company has a functional stricture characterized by the formation of the departments based on their specialization and tasks. One of the main benefits of this approach is that it enhances productivity by grouping employees with similar skills together to achieve goals (Ahmady, Mehrpour, & Nikooravesh, 2016). According to its corporate design, Florida Blue has five departments with two senior vice presidents, two executive vice presidents, and a vice president as their head. These departments are subordinated to the president and chief executive officer, who answers the board of directors (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida organizational chart, 2019). The mission of the company is to help people achieve better health by providing affordable insurance services. The departments of the company are focused on specific activities that are necessary for efficient operation in accordance with the mission.
The board of directors consists of people who are appointed to represent shareholders of Florida Blue. Their responsibility is to decide on major issues, establish corporate policies, and control the execution of business processes in the organization. The main roles of the board of directors include determining the values and vision of the company to guide its operations and development, setting company goals, promoting corporate values, creating strategies, and delegating authority to managers.
The management team runs daily operations in the company and is responsible for the achievement of goals that are set by the board of directors. The president and chief executive officer is the leader of the executive group in Florida Blue and has a position on the board of directors. This officer executes the company policies and reports to the board. The key responsibilities of this figure are to manage resources and oversee the work, ensuring effective cooperation of the departments. The chief executive officer has the vice presidents in the heads of the company departments reporting to him or her (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida organizational chart, 2019).
The human resources department in Florida Blue is run by a vice president of the company. This officer oversees employment relations policies and human resources management in the organization. The responsibilities of the department include benefits, compensations, payroll, training, and hiring new personnel. The main goal of the vice president of human resources is to determine company goals regarding staffing and properly organize the employees’ work to achieve the objectives. The appropriate work of this division is critical for the well-being and satisfaction of the company’s employees with their job. It also ensures the effective performance of the whole organization by finding, training, and motivating candidates for all positions in the company.
The department of government programs is concerned with legislation and relations with government entities, and it has the senior vice president in the position of its head. This department executes policies regarding hospital insurance (Medicare part A) and medical insurance (Medicare part B). The government program senior vice president is responsible for the efficient functioning of this division and makes major decisions concerning different forms of coverage provided by Florida Blue.
The executive vice president of the private business operations department is another key position in the company. Market operations and the quality of service that the company provides to its customers are among the main concerns of this high-ranking manager. The division handles customer claims and legal issues, and it works to find new ways to improve the services of Florida Blue. The head of this department is also responsible for the proper functioning of companies’ facilities, safety, and security. The role of this leader is critical for the company to be highly competitive and keep the leading positions in the market, providing customers with the best service in accordance with the mission.
The marketing and health services department is also a critically important part of the company. This unit of the organization is focused on promoting the company’s services, conducting market research, and executing corporate programs. The executive vice president of marketing and health services is responsible for medical affairs, cooperation with regional vice presidents, and supervision of field operations. This top manager’s main goal is to guaranty that the marketing activates in Florida Blue are in line with the values and vision promoted by the board. The chief marketing executive is another key figure in the firm’s marketing; he or she reports directly to the executive vice president and is concerned with public relations, product management, and direct marketing (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida organizational chart, 2019).
The last key functional unit of Florida Blue is the finance department. The appropriate functioning of this department is critical for the successful economic operation of the company. The senior vice president of finance and treasurer is a top leader of the organization. This officer reports to the president of the firm and is responsible for running the department in consonance with the mission and the course of development that is determined by the board of directors. The head of finance is primarily focused on corporate planning, analysis of financial activities, budgeting, treasury operations, internal audit, measurement and management of risks, and underwriting.
Thus, the departmental structure of Florida Blue is designed and implemented based on functions and tasks, and all units of the company are focused on specific activities. The main goal of the vice presidents who lead these divisions is to guarantee that the departments operate according to the mission, vision, and main principles defined by the board of directors. These top managers report to the chief executive officer, who, in turn, answers to the board. This structural model lays out a straightforward and effective approach to the implementation of business processes in the firm and supports coordination between different corporation units. It allows Florida Blue to keep the leading positions in the industry and provide its clients with constantly improving high-quality service.
References
Ahmady, G. A., Mehrpour, M., & Nikooravesh, A. (2016). Organizational structure. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 230, 455-462.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida organizational chart. (2019). Web.