Mechanic's (1962) conceptual model of power of lower participants was empirically tested, with a focus on the relationship between chairpersons and departmental secretaries of academic units. Power was defined as the ability of a person to have access to and control over information and individuals. A questionnaire was developed that covered the following factors: expert knowledge of lower participants, effort and interest in attaining complex work skills, dependency of superordinates on subordinates to do routine and nonroutine tasks, and control over access to persons, information, and instrumental equipment. Questionnaires completed by 50 chairpersons and 50 departmental secretaries at a major public research institution resulted in 94 usable responses. The results partially support Mechanic's model. The longer on the job, the more control the secretary had over access to persons, information, and instrumentalities. Expert knowledge and perceived power were also linked. It is recommended that a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods be used to better understand these power relationships. Questionnaire development, achievement of construct and content validity, and test reliability are briefly described. (SW)