“In a historical context, clusters of knowledge formed around a craft or discipline have played a major role in the development of societies. Murano [a group of islands north of Venice, ed.) became a center for glassmaking (…). It is, however, not the hoarding of knowledge that produces important innovations.(…). The invention of greenhouses, spectacles, microscopes, telescopes and the camera all depended on utilising glass in new ways. But it was not the glassmakers of Murano that came up with these innovations. They did not have the imagination, ingenuity or skills to apply their specialised knowledge to other domains. The lesson to take away, is that information spillovers depend on people who can cross boundaries, bring a broader perspective into consideration and apply existing knowledge in a different context.”