Step 1: Recall the process of organising.
Organising is the managerial function of defining tasks, grouping them, and establishing authority relationships so that people can work together effectively to achieve common goals. It follows a logical sequence of steps.
Step 2: Read what the students actually did.
The students brainstormed and identified all the activities needed for the farewell party - refreshments, sound and music, tentage, gifts, invitations, and a cultural programme. They then divided the total work into smaller, manageable pieces so that no task would be duplicated and the burden would be shared.
Step 3: Match this action to the first step of organising.
The students performed the very first step in the organising process: Identification and Division of Work. Before any team or structure can be created, you must first know what work needs to be done and break it down into individual, clear, non-overlapping tasks.
Step 4: Explain why this step comes first.
You cannot assign duties to people, form departments, or establish authority until you have a clear picture of all the activities that need to be carried out. This step gives every subsequent step its foundation. Dividing work also ensures that no single person is overburdened and that nothing important is left out.
Step 5: Appreciate the significance in the context of the case.
By consciously identifying six distinct areas of work (refreshments, sound, tentage, gifts, invitations, cultural programme) and dividing them, the students ensured clarity and fairness from the very beginning of their planning.
Step 6: State the answer clearly.
The step performed is Identification and Division of Work - the foundational step that maps out everything the organisation (or event team) needs to accomplish.
\[ \boxed{ \text{Step performed: Identification and Division of Work} } \]