To find the number of people at the beginning of the year, we need to reverse the percentage increase. Here's how:

Step-by-Step Solution:

1. Let the number of people at the beginning of the year be $x$.
2. The number of people increased by 12%, so the final number of people is $x + 0.12x = 1.12x$.
3. At the end of the year, there are 230 people. Therefore, $1.12x = 230$
4. Solve for $x$: $x = \frac{230}{1.12}$
5. Perform the division: $x \approx 205.36$

Since the number of people must be whole, the initial number of people was approximately 205.

Final Answer:

At the beginning of the year, there were 205 people in the organization.

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Would you like further details or have any questions? Here are some related questions to explore:

1. What if the increase was only 8%? How would the calculation change?
2. How would you calculate the percentage increase if the beginning and ending numbers were given?
3. What formula could generalize this calculation for any percentage increase?
4. How does this type of calculation apply to compound percentage changes over multiple years?
5. How would the number of people at the beginning change if the end-of-year total were 300?

Tip: When reversing a percentage increase or decrease, always divide the final amount by $1 + \text{rate}$.