Nanawati Associates (NA) is a national tax accounting firm whose main business is tax preparation services for individuals. NA's superior reputation is based on the high quality of its advice and the excellence of its service. Key to the achievement of its reputation is the state-of-the-art computer databases and analysis tools that its people use when counseling clients. These programs were developed by highly trained individuals.
The programs that these individuals produce are highly technical, both in terms of the tax laws they cover and the code in which they are written. Perfecting them requires high levels of programming skill as well as the ability to understand the law. New laws and interpretations of existing laws have to be integrated quickly and flawlessly into the existing regulations and analysis tools.
The creation of these programs is carried out in a virtual environment by four programmers in the Greater Mumbai area. The four work at home and are connected to each other and to the company bye-mail, telephone, and conference software. Formal, on-site meetings among all of the programmers take place only a few times a year, although the workers sometimes meet informally outside of these scheduled occasions.
Here's some background on the four:
Ravi Tendulkar is a tax lawyer, a graduate of the UQiversity of Mumbai and a former hockey player there. At 35, Ravi has worked on the programs for six years and is the longest-standing member of the team. Along with his design responsibilities, Ravi is the primary liaison with Nanawati Associates. He is. also responsible for training new team members. Single, Ravi works out of his farm in Lonawala.
Aditya, a tax accountant and computer science graduate of the University of Pune, is 32 years old, married, with two children ages 4 and 6. His wife works full time
