Abstract: Market distance, which is a concept in the background of industrial and agricultural economy, also can be extended into R&D area. The concept of market distance is extended from the view of knowledge economy and it is pointed out that the R&D personnel market distance is an important factor infulencing on his performance appraisal. A model reflecting the matching relationship between the R&D personnel market distance and the appraisal is constructed; By analyzing a case, the model is tested.