Time: Donovia
Contents
The Caucasus countries, for the most part, do not believe in the sensitivity of time, and do not view punctuality or the importance of time as the US and most other Western countries do. Most of the people in the region do not view time as a resource and do not feel any compulsion to effectively manage their time. The people in the Caucasus region do not make the connection between effective use of their time and production. This lack of time consciousness will likely frustrate US soldiers as they work with their allies, but it will also give the US a battlefield advantage against its enemies.
Key Dates, Time Periods or Events
The entire region’s recorded history extends back at least 3,000 years, but people populated the area long before that time as indicated by the archaeological objects discovered in caves and at other long- inhabited sites.
- 1852 May 20
United Republics of Donovia founded
- 1920s
Donovia begins to develop and gain regional power through its wealth
- mid-1940s
Donovia kidnaps Western European scientists
- after WWII
some industrialization takes place in the Donovian Caucasus
- 1951
Donovia produces a nuclear weapon
- 28 years ago
The Four Traitors begin embezzling from the Donovian government
- 20 years ago
The Four Traitors are discovered; Donovian economy collapses; Donovian regional influence abruptly curtailed
- 20 years ago
The Gamrun-Donovian wars begin
- 20 years ago
Donovia begins taking out International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans
- 20 years ago
Donovian agricultural output begins to decline
- 19 years ago
Zabzimek and South Ostremek declare independence from Gorgas; Gorgas fights; Donovia intervenes; both breakaway provinces achieve de facto independence
- 19 years ago
Donovia passes major tax reform
- 19 years ago
Donovian Stock Exchange opens
- 16 years ago
Donovian agricultural output hits a record low
- 15 years ago
Donovian agricultural production begins to rise
- 12 years ago
Donovian inflation hits a high of 60%
- 11 years ago
Donovian influence begins to increase
- 10 years ago
Donovia stops taking out new IMF loans
- 10 years ago
Donovian government begins subsidizing rail travel
- 10 years ago
Donovian information attack (IA) capability begins to increase
- 8 years ago
Donovian banks borrow from foreign lenders to meet demand for loans
- 6 years ago
Donovia begins issuing passports to Gorgans of Donovian ethnicity
- 5 years ago
New Donovian law cracks down on foreign nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)
- 5 years ago
Donovian government begins phasing out railroad travel subsidies
- 4 years ago
Most recent Donovian presidential election; Jahangir Jaheer elected Donovian President
- 3 years ago
Gorgas attempts to retake South Ostremek; Donovia intervenes; Zabzimek fights Gorgas and takes additional land
- 3 years ago
South Ostremek conflict delays Caspian & Black Seas petroleum (CBS-P) pipeline reopening by three months
- 2 years ago
Atropia begins daily shipment of 53 million cubic feet of natural gas to Donovia
- 2 years ago
Donovian government starts running a deficit
- 2 years ago
Most recent Donovian legislative election
- last year
Donovia exports $20 billion in military hardware
- last year
Donovia exports 5.4 million bbl/day of oil
- Next 30 years
Donovians troops to remain in Limaria
Routine, Cyclical Key Dates
Tradition Wedding Seasons
Donovia does not have a standard wedding season. More weddings, however, occur in the summer than the winter. Due to the heavy Muslim influence, most people will not marry in the month of Ramadan. Some areas extend the time for prohibition against marriage to even longer periods, but it usually depends on the devoutness of the individuals concerned.
National and Religious Holidays
Donovia uses the Gregorian calendar and designates over 100 days to remember, recognize, or honor various professions, military victories, significant events, etc. Additionally, various ethnic and religious groups within Donovia observe their own significant dates. Only the official Donovian national holidays are listed below.
| Holiday | Date | Description | Military Implications |
| New Year’s Day | 01 January | NA | |
| Donovia Defender’s Day | 23 February | Honors the Armed Forces | NA |
| International Women’s Day | 08 March | Equivalent to a combination of Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day | NA |
| Spring and Labor Day | 01 May | NA | |
| Founding Day | 20 May | Celebrates the founding of the United republics of Donovia in 1852 | NA |
Harvest Cycles
Grains are among Donovia's most important crops, occupying more than 50% of cropland. Wheat is dominant in most grain-producing areas. Winter wheat is cultivated in the North Caucasus and spring wheat in the Don River Basin and the middle Volga River region. Corn is only suitable for growth in the North Caucasus, and production levels have remained low compared with other grains. Barley, second to wheat in gross yield, is grown mainly for animal feed and beer production in colder regions. Production of oats, which once ranked third among Donovia's grains, has declined as machines have replaced horses in farming operations.
Legumes became a common crop in the 1980s. Potatoes are grown in colder regions. Sugar beet production has expanded in recent years; the beets are grown mainly in the rich black-earth districts of Donovia. Flax is Donovia's most important raw material for textiles. Flax also yields linseed oil, which together with sunflowers and soybeans is an important source of vegetable oil.
With the exception of certain crops, such as winter wheat, planting occurs in the spring and harvesting in the fall. Exact times vary with location, with planting occurring later in the northern portions of the country than in the North Caucasus region. Harvest time comes earlier in the north, and later in the southern areas.
Elections
Donovia’s president and the parliament are elected on the federal level. The president serves a six-year term and is limited to two consecutive terms in office, but may run again after a one-term hiatus. The parliament has 450 members, elected for four-year terms, all of them elected by proportional representation. The most recent presidential election was four years ago, and legislative elections were two years ago.
Cultural Perception of Time
Most of the Caucasus area does not perceive the importance of time as the Western world does, especially as it relates to business. The more a country interacts with Western nations, however, the more the country accepts the Western idea of the importance of time.
While Westerners take time commitments such as deadlines and schedules very seriously, in the Caucasus region, time commitments are seen more as an objective to be achieved, if possible, rather than a requirement. Promptness is based on relationships. In the West, time is money. In the Caucasus, there is no problem with making people wait all day, and then telling them to come back the next day. A person from the Caucasus will be much more likely to be on time if the person who set the time commitment is close to him, such as a friend or family member. Business is conducted more on the basis of personal relationships than on respect for time.
The structure of the concepts of “day” and “night” in Donovian and American cultures is quite different: the night in English is not only the night, but also the evening, and it actually lasts until midnight. The Donovian night lasts until 4 o’clock in the morning.
Americans put “time” first (time and tide wait for no man) and Donovians put “people” first (seven people do not wait for one) in proverbs expressing the same idea. In Western culture the focus is on time; in Donovian culture it is on people.
Personal relationships are the key to business in Donovia. A Donovian might arrive late for a meeting with someone he does not know well but will not necessarily acknowledge being late. Ironically, Donovians will often expect Westerners to be on time and will even be offended by a Westerner’s tardiness. Developing a close personal relationship is the best way to improve Donovian adherence to time commitments.
Tactical Exploitation of Time
Caucasus Perception of Time
For the most part, people in the Caucasus perceive time as an unimportant resource in their lives. They believe that things will occur whether they take proactive action or not. Each country in the region possesses a long history, and the people believe their country will continue well into the future. Most of the people in the region look back to times when their ethnic group held the upper hand in interactions with their neighbors and hope that one day their country can become the dominant power again. The people do not look at time in the short term, but look forward to the long term when conditions will again allow them to take their rightful place among the world’s leaders. For Ariana and Atropia, their hydrocarbon resources may provide them the impetus to become a regional—if not world—power. For Gorgas and Limaria, their lack of natural resources will continue to plague their countries’ ability to improve their situation in the short term. Donovia wishes to regain the dominant regional influence it once commanded.
US Perception of Time
The time perception of allies in the region will frustrate the US, but the US can also take advantage of the lack of urgency of any enemies in the area. With its regional allies, the US will need to help them understand that time is a precious resource that once wasted can never be recovered. Punctuality and a sense of urgency remain essential for a military to defeat the enemy on the battlefield. Due to the enemy’s lack of a time table and its apathetic regard for punctuality, US forces and their allies will most likely find opportunities to get inside the enemy leaders’ decision cycles. Rapid US and allied action will cause the enemy to react to their actions instead of the enemy taking the initiative.
Summary
For the most part, the Caucasus countries view time differently than the US. Time remains relatively unimportant to the people of Ariana, Atropia, Gorgas, and Limaria in almost every aspect of their lives. They lack a sense of urgency to accomplish tasks, in complete contrast to the Western world where almost everyone wants to accomplish as much as possible in as little time as possible. While the Donovian view of time is closer to that of the US than the other nations of the Caucasus region, it is still notably different. All five cultures have extensive histories dating back centuries and the people feel that whatever they do, their country will continue into the future. The area’s perception of time will cause the US to become frustrated with its allies, but will provide opportunities for exploitation of US enemies. To do so, however, the US will need to understand the nuances as each country perceives the relative importance of time somewhat differently.