Without imagination it is impossible to consider and think about the unknown. Without imagination, there can be no living stories, only dead information. Innovation is the product of imagination and so is adaptation. Knowledge is what makes companies unique even within the same industry. We are just beginning to discover how to value knowledge in our organisations and the fact that knowledge has no value until it is put to use.
Good ideas come from many places.
Innovations are a product of the individual heart and mind not the research laboratory. You don't make a discovery for yourself. A discovery is a gift to mankind. It is an economy of open access rather than knowledge being perceived and managed as a 'private good'. The reasons are because of the bountiful nature of the resource and its quality to multiply as it is shared with others.