The old AT&T
From End of the Line: The Rise and Fall of AT&T, by Leslie Cauley, a description of AT&T culture c. 1997:
Literally a century in the making, the [AT&T] culture was so omnipresent that it even had its own nickname: the Machine. . . . Almost impenetrable to outsiders, the Machine was a self-perpetuating mechanism that was loath to change. Like Hal, the megalomaniac computer in 2001: A Space Odyssey, nothing escaped the Machine’s ever-present eyes and ears. . .
Process was a big part of the Machine’s artistry. . . . [M]eetings could ramble on for weeks, or even months. It wasn’t uncommon for AT&T execs to have meetings to talk about meetings.. . .
The Machine steadfastly resisted change, and embraced those who did the same. It wasn’t uncommon for executive decisions to be ignored or openly flouted…