In recent times there has been a resurgence of interest in the study of ethics, due in part to the increasing controversies surrounding the unethical behaviour of some high profile government and corporate leaders, university academics and other professionals. In an environment characterised by shrinking resources, fierce competition for enrolments, and considerable pressure to become more highly commercialised and entrepreneurial, it is argued that university academic managers have been required to confront and resolve conflicting interests as they endeavour to balance a variety of values and expectations in their decision-making processes. In this paper we examine a model developed from the literature and empirical research based on ethical dilemmas faced by public sector managers to determine its relevance for the university context. An ethical dilemma is posed to test the efficacy of the model.

Keywords: ethical dilemmas, university academic managers, decision-making model