Thus a collaboration culture can feel great about itself for an extended time, all the while making no contribution to shareholder value.
Geoffrey A. Moore LIVING ON THE FAULT LINE, REVISED EDITION (2002)
All related terms of 'the while'
all the while
You use all the while in order to say that something happens continually or that it happens throughout the time when something else is happening .
while the going is good
If you say that someone should do something while the going is good , you are advising them to do it while things are going well and they still have the opportunity , because you think it will become much more difficult to do.
make hay while the sun shines
to take advantage of a good situation which is not likely to last
strike while the iron is hot
to act immediately, while you have the best chance of succeeding at something
make hay/make hay while the sun shines
If you say that someone is making hay or is making hay while the sun shines , you mean that they are taking advantage of a situation that is favourable to them while they have the chance to.