Nurse Executive Competencies This grounded theory study investigated what basic social processes exist as competencies for success, as perceived by nurse executives who had successfully avoided a layoff in a transformed organization. Following data collection, data were coded and analyzed simultaneously using grounded theory method. The substantive theory of Integrated Knowledge was developed. The areas of Integrated Knowledge were leadership/management and communication. Leadership/management included the business processes used by the nurse executive in managing from the bottom up....