ABSTRACT
This chapter presents relevant theoretical approaches and the overall conceptual framework guiding this research. It draws on insights into the study of territorial power, political decentralisation, self-rule and shared rule, and comparative federalism, and subsequently explains the relationship between federalism and intergovernmental relations. The chapter reviews the existing literature on intergovernmental relations and on the relations between the devolved and central governments in the UK. The study's objectives are set out in detail and operationalised by synthesising existing works on formal and informal institutions, intergovernmental relations and political influence. The chapter also explains the value of a case-study approach and the qualitative methodology applied to the collection and analysis of empirical data.
