Knowledge　network　embeddedness　describes　the　external　institutional　arrangement　of　a　firm＇s　relationship　with　other　firms　to　draw　knowledge　from　external　sources.　Disruptive　innovation　has　been　a　critical　strategy　to　achieve　indigenous　technological　innovations　and　catching-up　in　developing　countries.　The　central　tenet　of　our　argument　is　that　how　well　a　disrupter　performs　is　contingent　upon　the　extent　to　which　it　is　embedded　in　an　inter-firm　knowledge　network.　This　present　study　try　to　unravel　three　dimensions　of　knowledge　network　embeddedness　in　order　to　understand　in　what　specific　ways　it　contributes　to　a　firm＇s　disruptive　innovation　performance.　We　find　that　the　embeddedness　of　the　knowledge　networks　promotes　disruptive　innovation　performance　through　absorptive　capacity.　Specifically,　centrality　in　a　knowledge　network,　trust　between　knowledge　network　partners　and　sharing　goal　&　culture　with　knowledge　network　members　do　promote　disruptive　innovation　performance　through　recognizing　capacity.　Based　on　four　companies＇　comparative　case　study　results,　some　relationship　hypothesis　are　proposed　for　deeper　research,　implications　for　management　are　discussed.　©　2012　IEEE.