If a company invites applications for vacant posts which function begins here?

Correct answer: Staffing

The governing concept is recruitment, which is a part of staffing. When a company identifies vacant posts and invites eligible people to apply, it begins attracting a pool of potential candidates. Later staffing stages may include screening applications, selection, placement, orientation, training, and development. Planning may identify the need for employees, but inviting applications is specifically a recruitment activity rather than planning itself. Controlling evaluates performance after work begins, and directing guides or motivates appointed employees. Therefore, option A is correct because the described action starts the staffing process through recruitment.