Case introduction

Introduction

The following case analysis takes into consideration not only Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute, but also its competitors, businesses, and the current business environment as well. The use of SWOT analysis is important to identify ways to minimize the effect of Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute’s weaknesses while trying to maximize its strengths and at the same time recognize ways to exploit its opportunities and respond to its threats.
Additionally, the use of Porter’s five-force model helps analyze the entire lasik surgery industry because the five competitive forces (i.e., supplier power, buyer power, potential entrants, substitute products, and rivalry among competitors) affect Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute’s business strategy. These forces may create opportunities and threats relative to differentiation, low cost, and focus being implemented.
This analysis case takes into account competitor’s current strategies, strategic intent, capabilities, and core competencies. This data is useful to Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute in formulating a good strategy and predicting competitor’s possible responses.
Pacific Cataract and Laser Institute (PLCI) is a privately held eye care clinic specializing in refractive eye surgeries. Founded in 1985, with locations in eleven cities in the Pacific Northwest, the clinic is facing some stiff competition from other laser eye surgery centers in Canada as well as other larger publicly traded laser eye care centers in the United States who charge less for lasik surgery. Dr. Ford founded PCLI on the principle that doctors must go beyond science and technology to practice the art of healing through the Christian principle of love, kindness, and compassion. The organization had defined eight core values based on those principles. Those core values guided PCLI’s decision-making, as it attempted to fulfill is stated mission of providing the possible “co-managed” services to the optometry profession. As the lasik surgery continuous to rapidly expand, PCLI realizes it is losing potential U.S. patients to lower-priced clinics and that in order to be competitive and maintain a strong market share in the Pacific Northwest operations, it must reevaluate its market efforts and its services operations process.

This case will require that we examine how U.S. medical insurance practices and government regulations are more restrictive. How the exchange rate difference places U.S. clinics in vulnerable position. Obviously, we need to show how U.S. eye surgery clinics can compete using non-price strategies in growing market.