Dictionary.net

1. A feature of economic and social systems that cannot be broken down into smaller parts and reassembled to obtain the initial system. It is characterized by unpredictability, random behaviour and approximation. They also do not change in a constant proportion with respect to the input. 2. A dynamic and variable relation between variables characterizes this situation. For example, according to diseconomies of sale, the cost of production rises after the optimum output is reached.