The velvet coffin culture

Posted by DH on December 01, 2004

In Reply to: The velvet coffin culture posted by Lee on December 01, 2004

: They were busy trying to dismantle the dead, "velvet coffin" culture he helped build.

: = It must be an euphemistic or rather sarcastic expression, but what exactly does 'velvet coffin' mean? Is this an Americanism? What sort of corporate culture is this referring to? A rather bureaucratic, tall and inflexible + non-agile dinosaur-like organisation as in the sense of 'making elephants dance'? Is this expression used only to indicate a corporate culture? Any other possible usage?

Dad end, as in:

American Journalism Review
... Just a dead end. ... She also said she had read about the "velvet coffin"--the legendary
term coined for the cushy days of an era that had ended 10 years ago. ...
www.ajr.org