Internal factors signaling the end of Hollywood's Golden Age (1948–1960)

[JasonTS]

I'm a film studies graduate student writing my thesis on the transition from the studio system to the independent era, and I'm focusing on the economic and cultural pressures that ended the so-called Golden Age of Hollywood. While the rise of television and the Paramount Decree are well-documented, I'm interested in the lesser-discussed internal factors. For scholars or enthusiasts of this period, what specific films, executive decisions, or labor disputes from the late 1940s to early 1960s most clearly signal the system's collapse? How did changing audience demographics and post-war societal shifts directly influence studio production choices, and are there any case studies of a major studio failing to adapt that you find particularly instructive? What primary sources, beyond the standard histories, would you recommend for understanding the day-to-day business realities of that time?