The problems that exist with the company, I think, mostly stem from the pool from which they have to select their work force. It's hard to keep up any sort of reputable service when you get so big. Saying that, Apple seems to be doing okay..
Apple is training an Army of people on the same 4 products. Best Buy is trying to train an Army of people on a myriad number of products.
Just sayin'.
That's exactly what the CEO's job is and that's why they get paid so much money. It's their responsibility to look out for everything that happens in their company. As other comments have stated, change happens from the top down. Now, I don't know the specifics around Best Buys problems or how the CEO could have fixed it, but that doesn't mean that its not his job to figure it out.
I recently purchased some things at an Apple store and it couldn't have been easier. I never saw a cash register, in fact never moved from where I was. I said that I would like to buy a MacBook Pro and they brought one out to me, I swiped my card, signed my name (on an iPhone), and walked out of the store. The last time I purchased something at Best Buy it was much more complex, took longer, and I had to run all over the store. I think there is some innovation left in the brick and mortar model but it's not going to be easy and they are running out of time. Most of my purchases are completed on the Internet now and I don't see Best Buy (or any other retailer) giving me any reason to change that.
I routinely worked with MBA's from supposedly reputable schools who could put excel spreadsheets together, but couldn't interpret the results. Most full-timers spend their days in meetings while contractors do the real work. When I finally left, they offered me a few plush full time positions, in which I would have vague responsibilities and ill-defined deliverables. No thanks, I told them.
Everybody there felt pretty smug when they were kicking Circuit City's ass. Now the shoe's on the other foot.
I pulled the plug after only 8 months - it was crazy what was going on there. Afterwards, a few of my friends who also did short stints there were amazed I lasted that long.