Abstract: In order to get rid of the fetter of the old technology and technology lock-in, the enterprises have to forget outdated knowledge proactively and abandon the established thoughts and core rigidity. Based on the relevant literature, this paper explores the impact of intentional organizational forgetting on innovation performance and the mechanism of absorptive capacity using the multiple regression analysis. The results reveal that relationships between intentional organizational forgetting, absorptive capacity and innovation performance are positive. Meanwhile there is a part of a mediating effect of the absorptive capacity (including recognizing and valuing, assimilating and transforming, integrating and applying) on the relationships between the intentional organizational forgetting and innovation performance. This study expands the studies of the influence of organizational forgetting on innovation performance by showing the direct and indirect influence of innovation performance. The results can help enterprises better understand the importance of intentional organizational forgetting, and its double effect on enterprise innovation through absorptive capacity. Keywords: intentional organizational forgetting; absorptive capacity; innovation performance