Purpose: This article is a conceptual paper based on an extensive literature review performed as a preparation for replicating a study of Japanese hybrid factories in Central and Eastern Europe.

Methodology: It focuses on hybridization showing that although the concept itself originates in evolutionary biology, its application in the feld of International Business bears a strong resemblance with the cultural approach and Japanization.

Findings: Given some recent criticism of the hybridization studies, this article argues that the literature applying the concept would beneft from going back to its origins (i.e. the evolutionary approach), which in itself is a well know paradigm in organizational studies and could help in overcoming current conceptual limitations.