What gets measured gets done. If higher levels of management measure politics and ass-kissing and useless paperwork then that's what goes down when "managing up." And of course there are plenty of organizations where that's a big chunk of what gets measured. People who value those things tend to strive for management positions.

There are some where it isn't. In those "managing up" can mean something else and management tracks can attract and keep people interested in creating that other meaning.