The increasing complexity of research projects demands structured management approaches to enhance productivity, collaboration, and overall research output. Project management tools (PMTs) have been widely used in various industries, but their role in academic and scientific research remains underexplored. This systematic literature review (SLR) examines the impact of PMTs on research output by synthesizing empirical studies, case analyses, and systematic mapping reviews. The findings indicate that while PMTs improve research efficiency, collaboration, and grant management, their adoption faces significant resistance from researchers due to concerns over rigidity, administrative burden, and lack of empirical validation. The review identifies key challenges and proposes future research directions to improve the integration of PMTs into academic research environments.