Leadbeater will address a conference on Asian innovation this Wednesday at the Irish Management Institute (IMI).

The IMI and Demos partnered to produce an 18-month study on science and technology innovation in the three emergent Asian economic powers titled Atlas of Ideas.

"Ireland has to be small, nimble and all over the place like a scrum half, " to compete for resources and maintain its competitive position, according to Leadbeater.

Leadbeater's research focused in part on the role of returning diaspora communities to Taiwan, Korea and cities in India including Mumbai, Hyderbad and Bangalore, where they have rapidly built up industries to become global compeitors.

"Look at Hsinchu science park in Taiwan, founded in 1982 by returnees. Now close on 80% of the world's integrated circuits are made there. Look at Samsung in Korea - 40 years ago it was a sugar and textiles company. Now it spends more on R&D than any other consumer electronics company."

Leadbeater said that Ireland's history as part of an emigrant disaspora and now as a magnet for immigration, may itself be a source of competitive advantage. "Openness, welcoming, understanding the power of diasporas and the flow of people and knowledge - that increasingly is a strength, " he said.