Information Noise and Managerial Decision Quality in Project-Based Operations: An Integrative Review
Managers working in project-based and operational environments increasingly make decisions using large volumes of heterogeneous information. Although access to information is generally expected to improve decision quality, research across operations management, information systems, accounting, organizational behavior, and decision sciences suggests that additional information may eventually reduce rather than improve decision performance. This integrative review examines information overload, information diversity, decision-irrelevant information, and managerial decision quality, with particular attention to project-based operational contexts. The reviewed literature indicates that information quantity alone does not adequately explain decision overload: information diversity, task complexity, relevance, time pressure, decision-maker experience, and information presentation may independently or jointly affect decision accuracy, speed, confidence, and information-processing strategy. Evidence also suggests that managers do not necessarily respond to overload by effectively filtering information; they may accelerate processing, simplify decision strategies, overlook relevant cues, or assign inappropriate weight to irrelevant information. Existing interventions—including aggregation, graphical presentation, interactive training, cognitive feedback, emphasis framing, and decision-support systems—produce mixed outcomes and may involve important quality–speed trade-offs. The review proposes the concept of managerial information noise and a framework linking the information environment, decision context, decision-maker characteristics, and decision-support mechanisms to information-processing behavior and decision outcomes. It concludes with implications for project-based operations and a research agenda for human and AI-assisted information filtering. Keywords: information overload; information noise; managerial decision-making; decision quality; project management; operations management; decision support