Unused relevant information in research and development

Relevant information known to be available may go unused in research and development because of information overload or because its use is excluded by deliberate policy. Exclusion by policy shows that R&D is not, and does not aim at always being, efficient in the sense of fully reflecting all available relevant information. It may still be efficient relative to chosen strategies of information use and non-use. Overload may be a sign of strategic error, or may be accepted as routine and normal.