PurposeDisruptive　innovation　is　regarded　as　an　important　engine　of　the　new　technological　revolution,　which　can　change　the　traditional　market　structure　and　business　model　completely.　Articles　on　disruptive　innovation　remain　fragmented　and　heterogeneous　in　terms　of　theoretical　paradigms　and　empirical　studies.　For　the　purpose　of　further　understanding　about　disruptive　innovation,　and　to　recognize　its　evolutionary　trajectory　and　research　trends,　this　paper　provides　a　systematic　literature　review.Design/methodology/approachBased　on　data　from　Web　of　Science　a　total　of　1,415　articles　were　collected　to　identify　productive　countries,　prominent　journals,　influential　authors　and　main　sub-fields　on　disruptive　innovation.　Additionally,　important　articles　are　analyzed　for　content.FindingsThere　is　an　overall　increasing　trend　in　the　number　of　articles,　a　uniformity　of　highly　productive　authors　and　countries　and　a　primary　concentration　in　business　and　management　journals.　Moreover,　six　research　clusters　are　identified　and　an　antecedent-decision-outcome　framework　is　constructed　to　categorize　significant　studies.Practical　implicationsThis　paper　outlines　the　key　focuses　of　the　field:　application　and　adoption　of　disruptive　technology,　identifying　and　responding　to　disruptive　innovation,　commercialization　of　disruptive　technology,　disruptive　innovation　strategies　and　disruptive　business　models.Originality/valueThis　paper　combines　bibliometrics　and　content　analysis　to　systematically　overview　disruptive　innovation　research.