Which of the following actions is a core management function?

• A. Planning
• B. Advocating
• C. Budgeting
• D. Hiring

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is identifying the action that serves as a primary management function used to set direction and allocate resources. Planning involves defining goals, forecasting what’s needed, choosing courses of action, and outlining the steps to achieve the objectives. This creates the roadmap that guides how the team will organize, lead, and monitor progress, making it a fundamental part of management.

Advocating focuses on building support or promoting ideas, which is more about influencing stakeholders than a core management function. Budgeting, while essential for funding and measuring performance, is a tool within planning and financial management rather than the overarching function. Hiring is part of staffing and organizing, a specific activity within those processes, not the broad function itself.

So planning best fits as a core management function.