Diplomacy arises out of the fundamental character of the nation-state system, with its basic assumption that nation-states are autonomous, often divergent in their interests and unequal in their power.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Justice for Jonathan Pollard

But the possibility of wrestling losing its Olympic spot has given these three often-divergent nations a cause to rally around.

WSJ: US, Russia and Iran to wrestle in New York

Perhaps the greatest commonality between the management of a country and a company is that the architecture of both, by design, is compromised of divergent and often hostile stakeholders.

FORBES: Is Running A Country Like Running A Company? Should It Matter?

When women have trouble breast-feeding, they are often confronted with two divergent directives: well-meaning lactation consultants urge them to try harder, while some doctors might advise them to simply give up and go the bottle-and-formula route.

CNN: Is the medical community failing breast-feeding moms?

While I was, in some cases, astounded by how much money some of the least credible consultants earned from the divergent lines of business their firms exploited, more often I was disappointed by the compensation levels of the more ethical, disciplined consultants.

FORBES: A Proposal For Managing Pension Consultants (September 1, 2000)

As so often with dreams, good or bad, the details remain sketchy and subject to widely divergent interpretations.

ECONOMIST: Troubled sleep in Sichuan