In the open innovation environment, different types of local firms participating the global manufacturing network have different performance in synergy between relationship embeddedness and absorptive capacity, which leads to its internal logic complexity of search knowledge and uncertainty of innovative evolution path. Based on China’s car firms, this study further analyzes the important impact of difference in synergy between relationship embeddedness and absorptive capacity within local joint ventures and private enterprises on effective knowledge search and enhancement of independent innovation ability under the global manufacturing network effect.