Final answer:
The specified study design might be considered a cohort study within the field of organizational psychology, focusing on the performance of employees trained with new techniques and benchmarked against industry standards.
Step-by-step explanation:
The study design referred to in this question involves assessing the performance of employees trained in a new technique since February 2010 and comparing their performance to industry standards. This approach falls within the realm of organizational psychology and workforce efficiency research. Historically, the drive for such efficiency was fueled by the adoption of Frederick Taylor's principles of scientific management, which recommended production processes optimization to enhance productivity and profit. The contemporary version of this approach could be a cohort study, where a specific group of employees who received the new training is observed over time and compared to existing industry benchmarks.