Mary Mironovna Birshtein (1902, St Petersburg – 1992) was a Soviet social scientist noted for the development of simulation and gaming techniques for use in business and research environments.[1] She is known as the "mother of simulation gaming" following her adaptation of wargames to business games in 1932. Her first game was based in a typewriter factory and was used to train managers in how to handle production problems.[2] She was first affiliated to the Bureau of Scientific Organisation of Labour.